Your Nervous System’s Impact on Bowel Health
Dr. Jenn Gelfand, PT, DPT, E-RYT, in the Root To Rise PT Saco Clinic
Did you know that your nervous system can actually affect how frequently you have a bowel movement and how easy it is to empty completely? Your nervous system is in charge of regulating the body’s ability to balance both your fight-or-flight response and your rest-and-digest functions. If our nervous system is dysregulated, we may be staying in “fight-or-flight” too often. This can result in your body’s “rest-and-digest” function not working optimally - which can lead to constipation over time.
Some examples that can contribute to dysregulation are:
lack of sleep
lack of daily movement
not drinking enough water or taking in a good variety of nutrients - fiber, protein etc.
shallow breathing patterns
When we don’t allow our body to adequately “rest and digest” our system will temporarily pause the signals to move our bowels. Or, if the signals are there, it may take much longer to move stool along. This can result in feeling the need to strain, push harder to fully empty, and/or deal with a sensation of feeling the bowel movement is incomplete.
To prevent this from happening follow these steps:
Try not to rush. Give yourself extra time in the morning (or whatever time of day) to sit down and allow your system to move things along at its own pace.
Move your body slowly and intentionally. Tune into your breath, use a meditation app like Calm, Headspace, or Insight Timer to help with this. Start simple, for example lay on your back with one hand on your belly and one on your chest - feel the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe in and out x 15 breaths in a row.
Use a squatty potty for optimal positioning and to let the muscles in your pelvis relax.
Hydrate! It is recommended to drink half your body weight in ounces of water! If this feels hard to reach - start by increasing by 8 oz of water every few days.
While we are on the topic of bowel health, check out our blog post The Link Between Constipation and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.
For personalized guidance or support with complaints such as constipation, incomplete emptying, pain during bowel movements, hemorrhoids, or prolapse, you can call us at 207-200-1626.
At Root to Rise Physical Therapy & Pelvic Health, we believe in a holistic approach to physical therapy. Our Doctors of Physical Therapists are specialized in treating both orthopedic and pelvic health conditions. Our practice also integrates acupuncture and yoga and we are always excited to be a resource for the community we practice in. We are located in Scarborough, Saco, and Bath, and are here to support you!
~Dr. Jenn & The Root To Rise Team
