When you’re battling constipation and struggling to get things moving, one of the best solutions can be to literally get moving.
A research review published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology found that exercise can improve symptoms of constipation. Studies have even linked regular exercise to significant relief from irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, including constipation.
In broad strokes, regular exercise reduces the amount of time it takes for food to move through the gastrointestinal tract. This reduced transit time means that the body has less opportunity to absorb water content from the stool during the digestive process. Put simply, hydrated stools pass easier than hard, dry ones. The exact mechanisms of how exercise activates gut motility [the movement of food through the body] are not fully understood. Mechanical mechanisms include physical pressure on and twisting of the intestines as well as changes in blood flow to the intestines. Chemical ones include hormone release and increases in digestive enzymes.
Regular exercise improves healthy blood flow to the intestines for better digestive health over the long term, but during intense, total-body exercise such as running, the body routes blood away from the digestive system and toward the working muscles.
The high-impact nature of running literally jostles the intestines, which may stimulate contractions. Secretion of specialized hormones and digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract may further increase motility.
For competitive racers, these short-term effects on the intestines can speed gut motility to the point of diarrhea. However, for those battling constipation, a run slower than your typical race pace can help promote bowel regularity. If you are new to running, start with short, low-intensity jogs and gradually building up your run duration and intensity based on how both your muscles and gut feel.
It’s also important to stay hydrated, especially when doing high-intensity exercises, as this can reduce constipation.
Leisurely walks and bike rides as ways to get the heart rate slightly elevated and stimulate the gastrointestinal tract without causing the dramatic shift of blood flow away from the intestines that occurs with higher-intensity and -impact running.
According to Harvard Medical School, the strength and function of the core muscles, including the abdominals and obliques, play a crucial role in gastrointestinal motility. Their contractions increase pressure throughout the abdominal cavity to help physically push things through, and the stronger those muscles are, the more their contractions can promote digestion.
The mechanical stress of bending and twisting the torso increases pressure on the intestines as well. Try integrating core work into your workouts at least three times per week. Planks may trigger an increase in intraabdominal pressure due to muscle contraction, and crunches likely stimulate the intestines to a higher degree.
Yoga is a unique exercise for constipation because it affects blood flow to the intestines. Since it involves bracing, bending, and twisting the core, this exercise also emphasizes tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system.
Called the “rest and digest” system for good reason, the parasympathetic nervous system is highly activated through yoga via calming yoga postures and breathing exercises. By lowering activation of the fight-or-flight nervous system and focusing instead on resting and relaxing, the body is automatically primed for better digestion.
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