You walk into the bathroom, you have your smartphone in hand, ready to catch up on your latest emails. But how long should you be sitting on the toilet? First, let's talk about the time it takes to go physically: studies in mammals have shown that the average bowel movement is about 12 seconds .
The research you refer to, published in Soft Matter magazine in 2017, looked at animals in a zoo. They produce cylindrical poop just like humans do, and transit time did not differ depending on the size of the mammal. For example, cats and elephants took about 12 seconds to defecate.
But how long should you be sitting on the toilet before it happens? After all, staying too long (and in a contradictory way) could put you at risk for problems, like constipation. It shouldn't take more than five to 10 minutes and there should be minimal effort, if any.
Why are you going to the toilet?
The brain-gut connection alerts us to having a bowel movement. Thanks to the body's natural biorhythms , people (who have a regular schedule) generally feel the urge to defecate around 8 or 8:30 in the morning .
There is a strong line of communication between your rectal vault and the anal canal with your brain; Essentially, your GI system constantly updates your brain on the amount of poop it contains. Your brain responds with information of its own about whether it is the right time to leave. For example: are you in your car or at home? Are you forced to use a public bathroom when you are afraid to go to one because of COVID-19?
What's more, after breakfast, your stomach tells your colon " more things are coming, make room! ", Encouraging things to move forward. And there's the fact that overnight, stool builds up in the colon. Together, all of that influences when you feel the urge and why that urge is especially strong early in the morning.
Here's why it's important to pay attention to that "I have to go" feeling (and be prepared for that 8am impulse) and you shouldn't be locked in the bathroom for too long.
When you ignore the desire, are too busy, are late, or don't give yourself enough time in the morning, you can block that urge. This is called retention and that can cause a constipation problem.
What if you take a long time to go?
You may be sitting there right now, while reading this, trying to make something happen. If nothing comes out and you are struggling, it is recommended to stand up and try again later. Spending more than 15 minutes on the toilet can lead to hemorrhoids – swollen and inflamed veins in the rectum and anus that cause discomfort and bleeding.
Maybe you didn't need to go at the time, but consider what else might be going on. Exertion can also indicate that your diet is lacking in fiber, which increases the volume of poop and keeps it regular.
Stress is another possible culprit. When the body is under stress, peristalsis (muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract) is reduced, preventing you from going to the bathroom. It is worth checking if you are managing stress in your day in a healthy way. If the answer is no, this may be one of the ways your body is telling you to slow down and take care of yourself.
And then there may also be health issues at play. When you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with constipation, you may have a feeling of constipation, bloating, and incomplete bowel movements.
If you feel like you haven't finished your work, you are more likely to spend more time in the bathroom to make it happen. However, the way the stool moves through your system, your transit time, is not to blame. In these people, increased nerve sensitivity in the colon and small intestine may be responsible for the discomfort, not extra poop and gas.
The problem can also be a disorder called " slow transit constipation ." This is when the material hangs but stays in your colon for too long, which will be more affected and dry, and will cause you to strain on the toilet. When it finally goes, only a small fraction (20 to 30 percent) of the amount comes out of your colon because your stools are hard and difficult to move. Bowel movements can also be infrequent.
Pelvic floor dysfunction can also lead to constipation, and people can sit in the bathroom for an hour and then wake up unsatisfied.
What if you run to the bathroom?
If you can barely go to the bathroom before you go, it is likely diarrhea, which can be caused by things like drinking too much coffee, dieting, exercising, or menstruation. You can also be sick with a virus, also known as a "stomach bug."
IBS can also take the form of diarrhea. The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can alternate between constipation and diarrhea. In this case, your rectum isn't really full of a lot of stool, but it does send a strong signal to your brain that you need to go now.
