Can Stress Cause Constipation?
Stress may seem unrelated to your bowel habits, but many people wonder, "Does stress cause constipation?" However, in times of stress or anxiety, digestive sensations or concerns might be the first noticeable physiological symptoms of stress. In some cases, stress can cause constipation.
What is a normal bowel movement cycle?
There can be many factors that go into healthy bowel movements and digestion. Mainstream medicine considers your bowel habits normal if you have a bowel movement between three times per day to three times per week. Anything less than three times per week may be considered constipation.
However, some individuals who poop three times per day may feel uncomfortable and constipated if they only poop once per day or once every two days. Often, those who eat high-fiber diets may poop more often than those who do not.
The stress response
If you are experiencing a fight or flight reaction to a stressor, you might also notice that your body focuses on the threat and not as much on daily bodily needs such as eating or using the bathroom. However, some individuals might experience the opposite reaction, which is why incontinence can also be a symptom of severe fear or stress.
Lifestyle habits
During chronic or repeated stress, self-care may be more challenging. People may skip meals, eat unhealthy foods, experience sleep changes, or struggle with relationships when stressed. These factors might also cause changes in the bowels. For example, if you frequently eat high-in-fiber foods and suddenly stop, you might experience constipation. Some people experience constipation from flying, which can be stressful as well.
Laxatives are a short-term solution to stress-induced constipation. In the long term, healthy lifestyle changes may shield the body from the adverse effects of stress, such as the following:
- Staying hydrated
- Eating a fiber-rich, nutrient-dense diet
- Chewing well
- Exercising habitually
- Breathing deeply
- Getting eight hours of sleep per night
- Cutting back on medication that causes constipation with your doctor's advice
If you believe there is another underlying cause of your constipation, speak to a medical professional for further testing.
The mind-body connection and stress
Science shows a heavy mind-body connection. Since stress can occur in the mind and constipation is a physical symptom, you might be experiencing this connection when you have stress-related bowel changes.
Your brain is connected to your gastrointestinal tract. This communication is often necessary for all your bodily functions, including digestion. At times, miscommunication might result in symptoms like stomach aches, reflux or heartburn, diarrhea, or constipation. In these cases, your gut may communicate with your brain that there is a problem. Anxiety may also come with physical symptoms related to your bowels.
The nervous system
To understand the connection between your body and brain, you may want to understand the processes that occur. The autonomic nervous system controls almost all bodily functions, which are automatic. The autonomic nervous system contains the sympathetic nervous system that prepares the body for fight or flight and digestion.
The enteric nervous system produces serotonin. Serotonin may help the body move food through the colon. When you feel anxious, the brain may release hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and serotonin. Hormone release might increase the serotonin in your gut and cause stomach spasms and pain.
Depending on where the spasms occur in your digestive tract, the spasms may cause diarrhea. At other times, digestion may halt altogether and cause constipation. Stress can also cause inflammation in your digestive tract, which increases constipation.
Gut-related conditions
Some physical conditions may be made worse by stress and cause constipation, including the following:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Dysbiosis: An imbalance of bacteria in the GI tract
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Crohn's disease or colitis
Causes of these conditions
Many events or triggers could cause the conditions mentioned above, including the following:
- Trauma during early childhood
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Trauma from an accident
- A lengthy stay in a hospital
- An unhealthy diet
- Caffeine, alcohol, or carbonated drinks
- Not drinking enough water
- Overuse of laxatives
- Use of opiates and certain medications like antidepressants
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
Improving your bowel movements
Each person's bowel pattern may be different. However, ensure your movements are consistent. Being consistent could reduce the risk of certain health conditions.
Discuss your symptoms with a medical professional if you cannot discover what is causing your constipation and believe it is chronic. Your doctor may advise you to be tested for a GI disease, prescribe medication to relieve your stress and depression, suggest lifestyle changes, or refer you to a specialist.
At-home treatment
If you're experiencing chronic constipation, consider the following at-home methods of treatment after consulting your doctor:
- Drinking Water: If you can, try to drink eight glasses per day of water, not including coffee, tea, milk, or soda.
- Exercising: Try to exercise for 30 minutes or more each day.
- Eating Fiber: Try nuts, seeds, cereals without added sugars, prunes, figs, berries, and leafy green vegetables.
- Removing Dairy: Remove dairy from your diet.
- Reducing Processed Foods: Remove processed foods from your diet.
- Magnesium And Vitamin C: Try adding magnesium and vitamin C to your daily intake. If you decide to take magnesium, do so slowly and increase the amount as directed by a doctor. If you are still constipated, add a vitamin C tablet daily.
Try not to ignore your constipation until it becomes a chronic condition. Seek advice early.
Counseling options
When you are stressed, constipation may cause further stress. Talking to a professional mental healthcare provider could relieve your emotional symptoms, which may also allow you physical relief. A counselor may support you in warding off future stressors and defending yourself from conflict.
If you feel stressed about setting frequent appointments with a counselor and committing to an office, consider meeting with an online therapist. Many online platforms offer the option of phone, video, or live chat sessions. You can also take advantage of more affordable rates and the ability to choose your schedule. Studies show that online counseling can be more effective than traditional in-person therapy in treating chronic stress.
Takeaway
If you're interested in discussing your stress and physical symptoms with a mental healthcare professional, consider a platform like BetterHelp, which allows you to be matched with a therapist who meets your preferences within 48 hours of signing up. Constipation can be distressing. However, reducing stress may help you reduce physical symptoms.
If your symptoms persist without improvements, consider reaching out to your primary care physician for further questions for more intensive testing and support.
How do you relieve constipation from stress?
If you believe your condition is chronic or can’t figure out what is causing it, you should talk to your doctor. Ongoing bowel problems may be a symptom of a GI disease or other health problems.
Everyone’s bowel habits are different, but there are some ways that you can try to relieve constipation from stress. Drinking water, exercising, and eating more fiber can all help control bowel movements. You may also want to consider removing dairy from your diet, reducing your intake of processed foods, or upping your vitamin C and magnesium intake.
Remember, if you are having ongoing problems with constipation, you should consult your doctor.
Why does stress make it hard to poop?
Science shows that there is a strong connection between the mind and the gut, so anxiety and stress that occurs in the mind can directly affect the gut, which may lead to constipation or other bowel changes.
The GI tract has what is called the enteric nervous system or the “second brain,” which can act independently of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems but is influenced by them. This second brain can’t think but communicates directly with the brain. It also produces serotonin, which may help the colon move food.
When you get stressed or anxious, the brain may release stress hormones like adrenaline, cortisol, or serotonin. If the serotonin in the gut increases, it can lead to somatic symptoms like GI problems, stomach or abdominal pain, and spasms. Digestion can speed up, which causes diarrhea, or slow down, which causes constipation.
The anxiety response can also divert blood flow from the GI tract to the vital organs, which can cause things to slow down. Plus, stress can also lead to increased intestinal permeability and inflammation, which can make constipation worse.
Can stress affect poop?
Yes, stress can affect poop. Everyone’s body reacts to stress differently. Some people’s digestive systems may speed up in response to stress, leading to diarrhea or loose stools. Other people may experience their digestive systems slowing down, causing constipation. People can also experience both, alternating between constipation and diarrhea.
Can lack of sleep cause constipation?
Yes, a lack of sleep can cause various GI problems, including constipation. One study of shift workers found that insomnia had a considerable relationship with constipation. Researchers postulated that this connection may result from the connection between the central, autonomic, and enteric nervous systems.
How do I know if stress is causing constipation?
It is not always possible to tell for sure, but if you’re constipated and have been under a lot of physical or psychological stress, the two may be related. If you are experiencing chronic constipation, talk to your doctor. Constipation symptoms vary and can be a sign of various health problems, and your doctor may want to do some testing. If you need help managing stress or other mental health conditions, contact a therapist online.
What are your signs of stress?
Everyone experiences stress differently, but some of the most common signs are having a difficult time concentrating and experiencing headaches, stomach aches, or other body pains. People who are stressed may have difficulty sleeping and experience a range of emotions, like irritability and anxiety. They may eat more or less than usual or turn to or increase the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances, which can aggravate gastrointestinal symptoms.
How do I stop being constipated ASAP?
Unfortunately, stress-related constipation may not always have a quick fix. Laxatives can be a short-term solution, but making lifestyle changes to avoid constipation may be a better approach. Staying hydrated, exercising consistently, and eating a nutrient-dense, fiber-rich diet can help. You can also try chewing your food well so that it is easier to digest and practicing deep breathing exercises to attempt to alleviate the physical effects of stress.
How long does constipation last?
Constipation can last different lengths of time. How long is too long depends on the individual. Some people experience constipation often, while others have frequent bowel habits. Technically, fewer than three bowel movements in a week are considered constipation. If you haven’t had a bowel movement in over a week or are experiencing pain or abdominal fullness, see your doctor, especially if you usually are pretty frequent.
What is stress poop like?
Can stress induce bowel dysfunction? Yes, but stress poop varies depending on how your GI tract reacts to stress. If your digestive system moves faster, then you might experience diarrhea. If it moves slower, you might experience constipation, leading to smaller, harder, lumpy stool bowel movements.
What does anxiety poop look like?
It depends on how your body reacts to anxiety. Anxiety poop can be loose, diarrhea-like, or small and hard.
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