If you’re feeling backed up and need to go, there are several things you can do right now to get things moving. Some work within minutes, others within hours. The best approach depends on how urgent the situation is and whether this is a one-time problem or something that keeps happening.
Fix Your Position on the Toilet
The way you sit matters more than most people realize. A standard toilet puts your body at a 90-degree angle, which partially kinks the pathway stool needs to travel. Your rectal muscles can’t fully relax into a straight line when you’re sitting upright, which means you end up pushing harder than necessary.
The fix is simple: put your feet on a low stool, a stack of books, or a squatting platform so your knees rise above your hips. Lean forward slightly with your elbows on your thighs. This mimics a squatting position, which straightens the exit route, works with gravity, and reduces the amount of straining your muscles have to do. If you don’t have a footstool handy, rising onto your toes can help in a pinch.
Try an Abdominal Massage
A technique called the “I Love U” massage can physically push stool along your colon. It follows the path your large intestine takes through your abdomen, and you can do it sitting, standing, or lying down. Use moderate pressure with your fingertips, and move from right to left.
- The “I” stroke: Press from your left ribcage straight down to your left hipbone. Repeat 10 times.
- The “L” stroke: Start at your right ribcage, slide across to the left under your ribs, then down to your left hipbone. Repeat 10 times.
- The “U” stroke: Start at your right hipbone, go up to your right ribcage, across to the left ribcage, and down to the left hipbone. Repeat 10 times.
Finish with one to two minutes of gentle clockwise circles around your belly button. Using lotion or doing it in the shower with soap makes the strokes smoother. Once a day is enough if constipation is an ongoing issue, but for immediate relief, try it while you’re already feeling some urge to go.
Drink Coffee
Coffee triggers bowel movements in a large number of people, and it works fast. A compound in coffee called furan stimulates the release of gastrin, a hormone produced in your stomach lining that ramps up movement throughout your entire digestive tract. This effect kicks in within minutes of your first sips, which is why many people head to the bathroom shortly after their morning cup.
Both caffeinated and decaf coffee have this effect, though caffeinated tends to be stronger. Drinking it warm also helps, since hot liquids on their own can stimulate gut contractions. If you’re not a coffee drinker, a cup of hot water with lemon or herbal tea can offer a milder version of the same warm-liquid effect.
Eat Prunes or Drink Prune Juice
Prunes are one of the most effective food-based remedies for constipation, and the research backs this up convincingly. Eating about two-thirds of a cup of prunes daily produces better results for stool frequency and consistency than psyllium husk, one of the most commonly used fiber supplements. Prunes work through a combination of fiber, a natural sugar alcohol that draws water into the intestines, and plant compounds that stimulate contractions in the colon.
If whole prunes aren’t appealing, prune juice works too. Research shows that drinking just 2 ounces daily can relieve constipation symptoms. Start small, though. Prune juice can cause excess gas, so introduce it gradually and work up to 4 ounces based on how your body responds. For a faster effect, drink it warm on an empty stomach in the morning.
Increase Fiber (but Do It Right)
Most adults don’t eat enough fiber. The recommended daily intake is about 25 grams for women and 28 to 34 grams for men, depending on age. The average American gets roughly half that. Fiber adds bulk to stool and helps it retain water, making it softer and easier to pass.
Good sources include beans, lentils, oats, berries, broccoli, chia seeds, and whole grains. The key is to increase fiber gradually over a week or two. Adding too much at once can cause bloating and cramping, which makes you feel worse before you feel better. And fiber only works if you’re drinking enough water alongside it. Without adequate fluid, extra fiber can actually compact stool and make constipation worse.
Use Water Strategically
Dehydration is one of the most common and overlooked causes of constipation. When your body doesn’t have enough water, your colon absorbs more fluid from stool to compensate, leaving it hard and difficult to pass. Drinking a large glass of water first thing in the morning, before eating anything, can trigger the gastrocolic reflex, a wave of contractions in your colon that naturally happens when your stomach stretches after being empty.
Throughout the day, aim for consistent hydration rather than chugging large amounts at once. If plain water feels like a chore, sparkling water may actually help. Some studies suggest carbonated water improves constipation symptoms more effectively than still water.
Over-the-Counter Options by Speed
When natural methods aren’t cutting it, several types of laxatives are available without a prescription. They vary significantly in how quickly they work.
Glycerin suppositories are the fastest option, typically producing results within 15 minutes to one hour. They work locally by drawing water into the rectum to soften stool and trigger the urge to go. For something you can take by mouth, stimulant laxatives like bisacodyl work within 6 to 12 hours, making them a good choice to take before bed for a morning result. They cause the muscles of your intestines to contract more forcefully. Osmotic laxatives containing magnesium, such as milk of magnesia, pull water into the intestines and typically work within 30 minutes to 6 hours. Gentler bulk-forming laxatives like psyllium take one to three days and are better suited for ongoing management than immediate relief.
Stimulant laxatives are effective but aren’t meant for daily long-term use. If you find yourself reaching for them regularly, that’s a sign something else is going on.
Get Moving
Physical activity stimulates the muscles in your intestines. Even a 10 to 15 minute walk can make a noticeable difference, especially after a meal when your digestive system is already active. Yoga poses that involve twisting your torso or pulling your knees to your chest can also help by gently compressing and massaging your abdominal organs. Deep breathing that engages your diaphragm creates rhythmic pressure changes in your abdomen that support the movement of stool through the colon.
Signs Something More Serious Is Going On
Occasional constipation is extremely common and usually resolves with the strategies above. Fewer than three bowel movements per week, combined with straining during more than a quarter of those attempts, is generally considered the threshold for chronic constipation.
Severe abdominal pain paired with prolonged inability to have a bowel movement can be a medical emergency, particularly if you’re also experiencing significant bloating, vomiting, blood in your stool, or unexplained weight loss. These symptoms can indicate a bowel obstruction or other conditions that need immediate attention.