What Makes for a Typical Bowel Movement?

There isn’t an exact number for how often a bowel movement should occur. Bowel activity varies for each person. Some people have 1 to 2 movements daily, while others might have more or less.

You’ll poop more or less each day (or week) depending on several factors, such as your:

• diet
• age
• physical activity level

In addition, while the appearance and consistency of a person’s poop can vary from person to person, most people’s poop is formed, brown, and soft.

What are signs of abnormal bowel movements?

Where your bowel movements might signal a problem is if your poops are rarely like this (such as always hard or always liquid) or if you frequently have bowel movements that are painful to pass or result in cramping after you make them. In this case, it’s time to speak with a doctor. You could have a condition like:

• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Crohn’s disease
• ulcerative colitis

Many people occasionally experience episodes of diarrhea or constipation, where you can’t go to the bathroom easily or very often. You can try some steps to treat them at home.

Bowel movements (sometimes called BMs for short) are your body’s way of getting rid of waste that doesn’t have any use in the body. While it may not look like it, poop is about three-fourths water. The remainder is a collection of materials that includes:

• bacteria
• fats
• fiber (undigested foods, including nuts and seeds)
• food wastes
• mucus
• salts

Another poop component is bilirubin, a brownish-red substance that’s the result of a breakdown of the liver and bone marrow. Bilirubin is what gives poop its usual brown color.

You need to poop because this is how your body gets rids of waste. If you don’t poop for many days, this waste will collect in your colon and you become constipated. This is why pooping is so important for your health.

Constipation and diarrhea are both concerns with the passage of stool. However, while constipation is infrequent bowel activity or difficulty passing stool, diarrhea refers to loose or watery stools. Different factors can trigger either symptom, such as:

• diet
• food intolerances
• medications
• conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract

Regardless of the underlying cause, though, constipation and diarrhea occur when intestinal contractions either speed up or slow down.

Gut contractions help move stool through the colon. But sometimes, the muscles contract too much or too little. Diarrhea happens when these muscles contract more than usual, whereas constipation happens when they don’t contract enough.

Pooping is part physical, part mental. If you aren’t pooping as easily or often as you’d like, addressing these aspects can help.

• Eat fiber: It’s important to eat foods with plenty of fiber, especially soluble fiber. Try to get at least 25 to 31 grams of fiber per day. Fiber adds bulk to stool, stimulating the bowels to move. However, it may help to increase the amount slowly to allow your digestive tract to acclimate to the increased fiber while drinking plenty of water. Otherwise, it may cause constipation.
• Drink water: Consuming more water daily can help you digest your fiber and make your bowel movements easier to pass.
• Cut out irritating foods: Some foods can trigger loose stools. Identifying them and cutting them out can help reduce the impact. On
• Move more: Your body naturally moves stool through the intestines, but exercise can help it move faster. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), 150 minutes of moderate weekly activity can improve digestion and bowel movements, even in short intervals.
• Change your bathroom posture: Changing the angle of your legs changes the angle of your colon. Using a toilet footstool may help you have a more comfortable and effective bowel movement, and research backs this up.
• Keep your bowel movements in mind: There’s a mind-body connection to pooping. It can help to establish a regular schedule for pooping, but also listen to your body when you feel the urge. Try engaging in stress-relieving activities like seated stretches, for example, and create a calm environment in your bathroom.

However, if constipation or diarrhea becomes your consistent stool pattern, speak with a primary care doctor. They may recommend treatments or refer you to a specialist (called a gastroenterologist) who can perform further testing.

Bowel movements require food, fluids, and calm to create a more comfortable experience. If you try these tips and your symptoms aren’t improving, speak with a doctor. Many medicines and approaches can help you enhance your intestinal health.