This Is The Best Time Of Day To Poop

There is really no delicate way to say that going number two is important to our health, and a vital part of our daily routine (just like the poop-moji is an important part of our texts). But when thinking about heading into the bathroom, is there best time of day to poop? I know that drinking my coffee is a crucial part of my morning, it wakes me up and gets me going — in more ways than one. Even the smell of that bitter cup of joe screams at my bowels to rise and shine, and it seems I’m not alone. “For most people, the best time and their regular time is in the morning,” says Kenneth Koch, M.D., section chief of gastroenterology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, speaking with Women’s Health Magazine.

While we sleep, our body processes the food we consumed during the day. It takes an average of less than 53 hours for food to make its complete journey down the hatch and out the backdoor, visiting our stomach, small intestine and finally spending the majority of time chilling in our large intestine. Once you wake up, your colon sends the signal that all things are ready for the go. According to Dr. Koch, most people get the bathroom urge about 30 minutes after they wake.

While everyone's body has a routine for excretion, the number of times you visit the porcelain throne may vary. It’s normal for a person to poop one to three times a day, mentions Stephen B. Hanauer, M.D., medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center, in Women’s Health Magazine. The average person discharges one ounce of waste for every 12 pounds of their body weight.

After you “drop the kids off at the pool” you can happily go about your day without discomfort. However, if you wake up late and rush to work, skipping your regular morning routine, it can play havoc with your body. We’ve all heard the saying “when you gotta go, you gotta go,” and when you feel that urge, you really should take the time. According to Greatist, holding in your stool can result in all kinds of trouble from distended bowels, to stretched colon muscles that can slow down the whole pooping process. Additionally, skipping that trip to the bathroom can result in gassiness, bloating, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome says Women's Health Magazine.

If you don't want to deal with these issues, the best thing to do is get into a regular morning bathroom routine and stick to it. Eating fiber, fruits, veggies, and my favorite — a big cup of coffee, can all help regulate your pooing patterns. Dr. Hanauer stresses that "The best way to have regular bowel habits is to be regular in the things that effect bowel habits." Sometimes it may be uncomfortable to use the bathroom — whether you're about to head into a meeting or you're sleeping over at your new bae's house for the first time; but no matter the excuse, when nature calls, be sure to answer.

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