A combination of fiber, water, movement, and timing can get things moving, often within a day or two. If you need relief right now, a few simple body-position changes and over-the-counter options can help in hours. For longer-term regularity, the fix is usually dietary.
Eat More Fiber (Both Kinds)
Fiber is the single most effective dietary tool for regular bowel movements, and most people don’t get enough. Current guidelines recommend about 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat, which works out to roughly 25 to 35 grams a day for most adults. The average American gets about half that.
There are two types, and they work differently. Insoluble fiber, found in whole wheat, vegetables, and nuts, adds physical bulk to your stool and speeds its passage through your intestines. Soluble fiber, found in oats, beans, apples, and flaxseed, absorbs water and turns into a gel that makes stool softer and easier to pass. You want both. A bowl of oatmeal with berries and a handful of almonds covers a surprising amount of ground. If you’re currently eating very little fiber, increase gradually over a week or two. Adding too much at once can cause bloating and gas, which doesn’t help morale.
Prunes deserve a special mention. They contain both types of fiber plus sorbitol, a natural sugar alcohol that draws water into the intestine. Eating five or six prunes a day (or drinking a small glass of prune juice) is one of the oldest and most reliable home remedies for a reason.
Drink Enough Water
When your body is low on fluids, your large intestine compensates by pulling extra water out of the food waste passing through it. The result is hard, dry stool that’s difficult to push out. Drinking more water won’t magically cure constipation on its own, but it makes everything else on this list work better, especially fiber. Fiber without adequate water can actually make constipation worse by creating dense, bulky stool with nothing to soften it.
There’s no magic number, but aiming for six to eight glasses of water throughout the day is a reasonable baseline. Warm liquids in the morning, like coffee or tea, can be particularly helpful because they stimulate the digestive tract on top of providing hydration.
Use Your Body’s Built-In Timing
Your colon has a reflex that most people never think about. When food enters your stomach and stretches it, nerves automatically signal the muscles in your colon to start contracting. This is called the gastrocolic reflex, and it kicks in within minutes to about an hour after eating. A larger, higher-calorie meal with some fat and protein triggers it more strongly because those foods release more digestive hormones that amplify the contractions.
This is why many people feel the urge to go after breakfast. If you’re trying to establish a routine, eat a substantial breakfast, drink something warm, and then sit on the toilet about 15 to 30 minutes later, even if you don’t feel an urgent need. Over time, this trains your body to expect a bowel movement at that window. Ignoring the urge when it does come, because you’re busy or in a rush, teaches your colon to suppress the signal, which gradually makes constipation worse.
Change Your Position on the Toilet
Sitting upright on a standard toilet puts your body at roughly a 90-degree angle, which partially kinks the path between your colon and rectum. A loop of muscle wraps around the rectum and keeps it bent at this angle to help you maintain continence when you’re upright. When you squat, that muscle relaxes, the rectum straightens out, and stool passes with less effort and less straining.
You don’t need to install a squat toilet. Simply placing a small footstool (about 7 to 9 inches high) under your feet while sitting mimics the squat position. Lean slightly forward with your elbows on your knees. This straightens the rectal angle, reduces the force you need, and lowers the risk of hemorrhoids from straining. Many people notice a difference the first time they try it.
Move Your Body
Physical activity stimulates the muscles of your colon. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility found that people with higher physical activity levels had significantly shorter colon transit times, meaning food waste moved through their system faster. The effect was especially pronounced in women, where even moderate activity levels produced measurably faster transit compared to sedentary behavior.
You don’t need intense exercise. A 20- to 30-minute walk after a meal can be enough to get things moving. Yoga poses that involve twisting the torso also gently compress the abdomen and may help stimulate the intestines. The key is consistency. Regular daily movement keeps your colon in a rhythm; long stretches of sitting let it slow down.
Try Probiotics
Certain strains of beneficial bacteria can improve bowel frequency. A systematic review in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that probiotics reduced the time it took food to travel through the entire gut by an average of 12.4 hours and increased stool frequency by about 1.3 extra bowel movements per week. The strain with the strongest evidence was Bifidobacterium lactis, which boosted frequency by 1.5 bowel movements per week on average. Not all strains work equally, though. Lactobacillus casei Shirota, another commonly sold strain, showed no significant effect on constipation in the same analysis.
If you want to try probiotics, look for products that specifically list Bifidobacterium lactis on the label. Fermented foods like yogurt and kefir can also provide beneficial bacteria, though the strains and quantities vary widely by product.
Over-the-Counter Laxatives
When diet and lifestyle changes aren’t enough, or you need faster relief, there are three main categories of laxatives available without a prescription. They work differently and on different timelines.
- Bulk-forming laxatives work like a concentrated fiber supplement. They add soluble fiber to your stool, which draws in water and makes it bigger and softer. The increased size triggers your colon to contract and push things along. They typically take 12 hours to three days to work, so they’re better for building regularity than for immediate relief.
- Osmotic laxatives pull water from surrounding tissues into your colon, softening the stool. Most take one to three days, though saline-based versions can work in as little as 30 minutes to six hours. Magnesium citrate is a popular osmotic option with high user satisfaction.
- Stimulant laxatives activate the nerves controlling your colon muscles, essentially forcing the colon into motion. They work in 6 to 12 hours, making them a reasonable choice for overnight relief. However, they’re best used occasionally rather than daily, as your colon can become dependent on them over time.
For most people dealing with occasional constipation, an osmotic laxative is a good starting point because it works with your body’s natural fluid balance rather than artificially forcing contractions.
Red Flags Worth Knowing
Occasional constipation is extremely common and usually harmless. But certain symptoms alongside constipation point to something that needs medical attention: blood in your stool, unintended weight loss of 10 pounds or more, a sudden change in how your stool looks (noticeably thinner, for example), or constipation that comes on abruptly in someone over 50 who’s never had issues before. Iron deficiency anemia paired with constipation is another signal that warrants evaluation. These don’t necessarily mean something serious is wrong, but they’re worth getting checked rather than managed at home.