When you’re trying to optimize your gastrointestinal health, it’s perfectly normal to focus most of your attention on the foods you’re putting in your body. But diet is just one piece of the puzzle. Your bathroom habits have a big impact on your digestive health, too. From sitting on the toilet far longer than necessary to straining to poop, some can contribute to hemorrhoids and other GI problems.
We asked board-certified gastroenterologist , about these and other common bathroom habits that we should stop doing to help improve GI health. Here’s what she said.
Ignoring the Urge to Use the Bathroom
Ignoring the urge to poop once in a while isn’t a huge deal. But regularly doing so may lead to constipation. “The longer your stool stays in the colon, the more water becomes absorbed from it, making the stool much drier and harder and challenging to pass,” says Kais. “Also, you are specifically the sigmoid and rectum—to get more accustomed to retaining more stool, potentially stretching out these areas to accommodate more stool, which in turn leads to more issues with constipation.”
Suppressing the urge to use the bathroom may also make you less sensitive to the signals your body offers to let you know when it’s time for a bowel movement.
“Ideally, your bathroom routine should be straightforward and simple,” Kais says. “When you feel the need to go, listen to your body and go. But make sure you give yourself a reasonable amount of time, like 5 to 10 minutes, and let it come naturally—do not try to force it.”
Scrolling While Sitting on the Toilet
Many of us are guilty of using bathroom visits as scrolling time on our phones. But it’s easy to lose track of time, and you could end up sitting and scrolling for far too long.
“This increases pressure on the veins around the rectum and anus, which may contribute to hemorrhoids or make existing hemorrhoids worse,” Kais says. “It can even cause people to try to strain when their body is not ready to have a bowel movement.”
Instead of mindlessly scrolling on the toilet, Kais suggests using your toilet time to pee or poop and finding another place and time for your doom-scrolling.
Straining to Have a Bowel Movement
Regularly straining to have a bowel movement can increase pressure in the rectum and anal area and can contribute to issues like hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
“If you find yourself straining, often this is a clue that your stool is much too hard and you are constipated,” Kais says. “Rather than trying to push harder and harder, figure out what is causing this issue, like , not drinking enough water or not exercising to .
Don’t try to force a bowel movement. “If you cannot go, get up,” Kais says. “Sitting on the toilet longer won’t help.” And if you’re straining to have a bowel movement every single day, consider chatting with a health care provider.
Sitting on the Toilet in the Wrong Position
There’s no perfect position for sitting on the toilet, but the position of your body may impact how easily you’ll have a bowel movement.
“Ideally, placing your feet on a small footstool to bring your knees up higher than your hips can create more of a , which may make passing stools easier and reduce the need to strain for some,” she says.
Another option is to lean slightly forward while sitting on the toilet. Kais says this helps relax the lower abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
Other Tips to Improve Gastrointestinal Health
Along with stopping these four habits, experts also recommend the following practices to incorporate into your daily routine for better GI health:
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Eat a variety of fiber-rich foods. “Eating a diet full of fiber from fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts not only helps improve bowel habits but also in our gut microbiome,” Kais says.
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Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water each day helps prevent constipation.
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Move your body. Walking and other types of regular moderate exercise support digestion and gut health.
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Get enough sleep. Getting sufficient sleep each night may and improve gastrointestinal symptoms.
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Limit highly processed foods when possible. A diet high in ultraprocessed foods may negatively impact the gut microbiome by reducing the diversity of important gut microbes, research shows.
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If your gastrointestinal symptoms aren’t going away, see a doctor. “If you are having persistent issues with your bowel habits, it does warrant further evaluation by a health care professional,” Kais says.
Our Expert Take
Some small tweaks to your bathroom routine can have a big impact on your gastrointestinal health. According to a gastroenterologist, it’s worth ditching some common habits like regularly ignoring the urge to poop, scrolling on your phone while sitting on the toilet, straining during a bowel movement and sitting in the wrong position while on the toilet. Paying attention to your body’s signals, adjusting your posture and limiting your time on the toilet can go a long way for your GI health.