Many people think constipation simply means not going to the toilet often enough, but bowel health is about much more than frequency.
If you regularly have to push, strain, hold your breath, or spend long periods on the toilet, your bowel habits could be placing unnecessary stress on your pelvic floor, abdominal muscles, and even contributing to issues such as haemorrhoids, prolapse, or bladder symptoms.
The good news? A few simple changes can make bowel movements easier and support your overall pelvic health.
1. Never Ignore the Urge to Open Your Bowels
Your bowel works on a natural reflex.
When you ignore the urge to go, your body reabsorbs water from the stool, making it firmer and more difficult to pass.
Repeatedly delaying bowel movements can contribute to constipation and increase the need to strain.
When your body tells you it's time to go, try to listen.
2. Get Into the Right Position
Your posture on the toilet matters more than you might think. Rather than sitting upright with your feet flat on the floor, try:
Sitting with a long, straight spine
Leaning slightly forward
Raising your knees above your hips using a toilet stool or small footstool
This position helps straighten the angle of the rectum, allowing stool to pass more easily with less effort.
3. Make Some Noise!
It might sound funny, but making gentle sounds such as:
"Moooo"
"Chaaaa"
Humming
Can actually help relax and drop your pelvic floor, it also helps to prevent breath holding while opening your bowels.
These sounds naturally encourage a slow exhale, reducing unnecessary pressure through the abdomen and pelvic floor.
If you're finding yourself straining, try replacing the effort with a gentle hum instead.
4. Don't Hold Your Breath
Many people automatically hold their breath when trying to pass a bowel movement. This significantly increases pressure inside the abdomen and pelvic floor.
Instead:
Take a relaxed breath in and allow your belly to expand.
As you breathe out:
Gently engage your abdominal muscles
Allow your belly to provide gentle support
Bear down softly while humming, mooing, or saying "chaa"
The movement should feel coordinated rather than forceful.
5. Rock Gently on the Toilet
If things aren't moving, resist the urge to push harder. Instead, try gently rocking your weight from side to side.
This small movement can encourage the bowels to move naturally without excessive straining.
Sometimes less effort is actually more effective.
6. Move Your Body Before You Go
Walking and gentle movement stimulate the digestive system.
If you're feeling constipated, a short walk around the house or a few minutes of gentle stretching may help activate bowel movement before sitting on the toilet.
Movement is one of the simplest ways to support healthy digestion.
7. Eat Regular Meals
Your digestive system responds well to routine.
Eating regular meals throughout the day stimulates a natural process called the gastrocolic reflex, which encourages bowel activity.
Skipping meals or eating irregularly may reduce this natural stimulation.
Aim for consistent eating patterns and avoid long periods without food unless advised otherwise by your healthcare provider.
8. Stay Hydrated
Water is essential for healthy bowel function.
Without adequate hydration, stools become harder and more difficult to pass.
As a general guide, aim for around 2 litres of water each day, adjusting for exercise, weather, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or individual needs.
9. Increase Your Fibre Intake Gradually
Fibre helps create soft, bulky stools that are easier to pass.
Good sources include:
Fruit
Vegetables
Whole grains
Legumes
Nuts and seeds
If increasing fibre, do so gradually and ensure you're drinking enough water, as rapidly increasing fibre without adequate hydration can sometimes worsen constipation.
10. Relax, Don't Force It
One of the most important bowel health tips is also the simplest:
Your body should not have to fight to empty your bowels.
If you're pushing, holding your breath, or sitting for long periods, your pelvic floor may actually become tighter instead of relaxing.
Try this instead:
Sit comfortably with your feet supported.
Take a slow breath into your belly.
As you exhale, gently engage your abdominal muscles.
Softly bear down while humming, mooing, or saying "chaa."
Allow your pelvic floor to relax rather than forcing the movement.
Gentle coordination is far more effective than aggressive pushing.
How Osteopathy Can Help Bowel Health
Your bowel doesn't work in isolation.
Healthy bowel function relies on the coordination of:
The diaphragm
The abdominal muscles
The pelvic floor
The hips and pelvis
The nervous system
At Tugun Osteopathy, we take a whole-body approach to bowel health and constipation.
Treatment may include:
Breathing retraining
Pelvic floor assessment and rehabilitation
Abdominal and rib mobility treatment
Gentle manual therapy
Postural advice
Education on healthy bowel habits
Strategies to reduce straining and improve pelvic floor coordination
Healthy Bowels Support a Healthy Pelvic Floor
Constipation and straining are incredibly common, particularly during pregnancy, after birth, and throughout menopause, but they shouldn't be ignored.
Small changes in posture, breathing, movement, hydration, and toileting habits can significantly improve bowel function while reducing unnecessary pressure on your pelvic floor.
If you're regularly straining, experiencing constipation, or dealing with pelvic floor symptoms such as bladder leakage, prolapse, or pelvic pain, an individual assessment can help identify the underlying contributors and provide a personalised treatment plan.
Your bowel should work with your body, not against it. Contact us today if you would like to know more.