A lot of people believe that it is only food and drink that has an effect on the digestive system. And while of course this plays a key part in successful functioning, there are other, external influences that can play their part too.
Stress can play a major role in influencing the working of the gut, and while a lack of sleep may just make you tired the next day, it can also have a negative effect on your bowel function.
So what can you do to minimise bowel problems? Dr Maxton Pitcher Consultant Gastroenterologist, St Mark’s, The National Bowel Hospital provides his top tips below:
Sleep Well
Unsurprisingly a lack of sleep can affect your mental function. But did you realise it can also have a negative effect on your bowel function, appetite and body weight?
As a general rule, adults need one hour asleep for every two hours awake so you need to aim for eight hours sleep a night. Your sleep will significantly improve if you can try and cut out fatty foods, alcohol and caffeine before going to bed.
Keep regular
Make a habit of going first thing in the morning.
Avoid smoking
Apart from giving an increased risk of cancer, smoking is responsible for many changes in the digestive system. It can also contribute to common disorders such as heartburn and peptic ulcers, and can increase the risk of Crohn’s disease and gallstones. Try hard to stop smoking and speak to your GP or pharmacist if you need advice as to how to go about this.
De-stress
In stressful situations (exams, job interviews, driving tests etc), adrenaline pumps around the body and speeds up everything inside it. And this includes the rate at which food is passing through it. When this happens it can mean that diarrhoea can occur or you could experience looser and more frequent bowel movements.
Making time to relax can help you minimise the effects of stress and putting in simple leisure pursuits, such as going for a walk or swim, into your weekly schedule will help you achieve this.
Or you may want to try something more luxurious like a body or head massage or aromatherapy.