Going No. 2 should really be No. 1 on your priority list.
Pooping is an essential phase of the body’s natural detoxification process — it clears indigestible dietary fiber, excess bacteria, metabolic waste and bile acids.
Much has been said about what makes a healthy poop — generally, it should be medium to dark brown, soft but firm and resemble a smooth log.
Everything from your diet and fluid intake to your gut bacteria and medication use influences the shape, color and consistency of your waste.
But what about when you poop? How important is timing when it comes to keeping your digestive tract on track?
Two gastroenterologists get to the bottom of the age-old question: When is the best time to answer nature’s call?
How often should a healthy person poop?
It’s more often than you might think!
“Three times a day to three times a week is the broad normal range, but one to two solid poops per day seems tied to the healthiest gut microbiome and the fewest toxins in your blood,” Malibu gastroenterologist Dr. Sabine Hazan told The Post.
Dr. Jason Korenblit, a gastroenterologist and digestive health expert with JustAnswer, said stool should pass easily and leave you feeling empty afterward. Regularity is key.
“Fewer than three bowel movements a week, especially with hard stools, straining or pain, can point to constipation,” he added. “Very frequent watery stools may point to diarrhea.”
How does the body’s internal clock affect bowel movements?
Everyone has a circadian rhythm, a 24-hour internal biological clock that regulates crucial functions like your sleep-wake schedule, hormone release and core body temperature.
Korenblit pointed out that the clock also guides the gut’s daily rhythm.
“During the day, the colon is usually more active. At night, it slows down,” Korenblit explained.
“This rhythm is shaped by the brain’s clock, meals, hormones, nerves and the gut’s own clock.”
The gut’s rhythm can be disrupted by changes in sleep, diet, travel habits, stress or work schedules.
How long after eating should a bowel movement happen?
“Some people feel movement within minutes to about an hour after eating because of the gastrocolic reflex,” Korenblit said. “That is the normal reflex where the stomach tells the colon, ‘Make room; food just came in.’”
Korenblit noted that the poop that passes shortly after a meal is not what you just ate but rather older stool that’s been hanging out in the colon.
In most healthy adults, food generally takes about one to three days to move through the digestive tract for elimination.
So, is there an ideal time to poop?
“Mornings are usually best,” Hazan said. “Your colon wakes up with you, contracting way more after you rise, plus cortisol spikes help move things along.”
Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone — it typically peaks in the early morning, about 30 to 45 minutes after waking up.
The early bird advice is good news for coffee drinkers. Coffee triggers the gastrocolic reflex and the release of gastrin, a digestive hormone that increases muscle contractions in the gut to keep food moving.
Breakfast can also stimulate movement in the gut, Korenblit said.
“That is why many people feel the urge after waking, drinking something warm or eating their first meal,” he continued. “Still, a healthy bowel movement at noon or at night is fine if that is your usual pattern.”
Should you get yourself on a bathroom schedule?
It’s better to trust your gut than force it to live by the clock.
Straining hard or sitting too long on the throne can cause hemorrhoids and pelvic floor dysfunction.
Korenblit recommends listening to the call of duty, giving yourself uninterrupted bathroom time, sitting for five to 10 minutes, relaxing, breathing and using a small footstool if helpful.
If it doesn’t happen, try again later.
You should aim for ease of passage and consistency rather than rigid clockwork.
“The goal is not the perfect time,” Korenblit said. “The goal is a pattern that is comfortable, predictable and healthy for you.”
