If you’re sitting on the toilet right now struggling, the fastest thing you can do is change your position: put your feet on a stool or step so your knees rise above your hips. This mimics a squatting posture, which straightens the path between your rectum and anus and reduces the effort needed to pass stool. Beyond positioning, several other techniques can help in the moment, and longer-term habits can keep this from becoming a recurring problem.
Fix Your Position First
When you sit on a standard toilet, the angle between your rectum and anal canal is roughly 80 to 90 degrees. That creates a natural kink that helps with continence but works against you when you’re trying to go. Squatting opens that angle to about 100 to 110 degrees, straightening the canal so stool can move through with less straining.
You don’t need to hover over the toilet. A small footstool, a stack of books, or even an upturned wastebasket under your feet gets you most of the benefit. Lean forward slightly with your elbows on your knees and let your belly relax outward. Research comparing sitting and squatting positions consistently finds that squatting requires less straining effort and less time on the toilet.
Try Perineal Pressure
This is a surprisingly effective technique that most people have never heard of. The perineum is the area of skin between your genitals and your anus. Applying gentle, repeated pressure to this spot with your fingertips before or during a bowel movement can help break up and move stool along. A clinical trial found that 72% of participants who learned this technique said it helped them soften or pass their stools, and 82% said they planned to keep using it. The technique increases rectal muscle tone by roughly 52%, which helps push things along.
To do it, press firmly but not painfully on the perineum with two or three fingertips, hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat. You can do this while seated on the toilet. It takes only a couple of minutes and works well alongside the positioning changes above.
Use Your Body’s Built-In Timing
Your colon has a natural reflex that ramps up activity right after you eat. Called the gastrocolic reflex, it triggers a spike in electrical and muscular activity in the large intestine within minutes of food hitting your stomach. This reflex is strongest in the morning and immediately after meals, which is why many people find it easiest to go after breakfast.
If you’re struggling, try eating a meal or even a substantial snack, then sitting on the toilet 15 to 20 minutes later. A warm beverage can amplify the effect. Coffee is particularly notable here: in people who are sensitive to it, coffee increases colon motility within four minutes of drinking it, and that increased activity lasts at least 30 minutes. About 29% of people experience this effect (with women more likely to notice it), and interestingly, decaffeinated coffee triggers a similar response, suggesting it’s something in the coffee itself rather than the caffeine alone.
What About Laxatives
If positioning and timing aren’t enough, over-the-counter laxatives come in three main types, each working differently.
- Osmotic laxatives (like milk of magnesia or polyethylene glycol powder) pull water into your intestine to soften the stool. These are gentle and commonly recommended as a first option. They typically take 12 to 72 hours to work.
- Stimulant laxatives (like bisacodyl or senna) trigger the muscles of your intestinal wall to contract more forcefully while also reducing water absorption. These tend to work within 6 to 12 hours. Senna is also found in many herbal “detox” or “digestion” teas.
- Bulk-forming laxatives (like psyllium) absorb water and add mass to your stool, which helps your colon grip and move it along. These are the most natural-feeling option but require you to drink plenty of water with them. Without enough water, they can actually make things worse by causing bloating or even a blockage.
For something that needs to happen today, an osmotic or stimulant laxative is the more practical choice. Bulk-forming options work better as a daily preventive measure.
What Not to Do
When stool feels stuck right at the exit, it’s tempting to try to remove it manually. Don’t. Digital disimpaction, where a finger is inserted into the rectum to break up or pull out hard stool, carries real risks when done incorrectly: tears in the anal lining, damage to the rectal wall, infection, and in rare cases, overstimulation of the vagus nerve that can cause fainting or an irregular heartbeat. This is a procedure for trained medical professionals only.
Excessive straining is also counterproductive. Bearing down hard for long stretches increases your risk of hemorrhoids and anal fissures and can actually tighten the muscles you need to relax. If you’ve been pushing hard for more than a few minutes, stop, get up, walk around, and try again later using the techniques above.
Prevent It From Happening Again
Most people don’t get enough fiber. The general recommendation is 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men, but most adults fall well short of that. Fiber adds bulk and softness to stool, making it easier to pass. Good sources include beans, lentils, oats, berries, broccoli, and whole grains. If you’re currently eating very little fiber, increase your intake gradually over a week or two to avoid gas and cramping.
On hydration: the common advice to “drink more water” for constipation is more nuanced than it sounds. A study of healthy volunteers found that adding one to two extra liters of fluid per day didn’t significantly change stool output. The takeaway isn’t that water doesn’t matter, but rather that drinking extra water beyond your normal adequate intake won’t loosen things up on its own. Where hydration does make a clear difference is when you’re actually dehydrated, or when you’re taking bulk-forming fiber supplements that need water to function.
Regular physical activity, a consistent toilet routine (especially after meals when the gastrocolic reflex is active), and not ignoring the urge when it comes are the habits that keep things moving over time.
When Constipation Becomes Serious
Occasional difficulty is normal. But if you haven’t had a bowel movement for an extended period and you’re also experiencing severe bloating or abdominal pain, that combination warrants an emergency room visit. Other warning signs that call for medical attention include vomiting, blood in your stool, or unexplained weight loss. If constipation is unusual for you, see a doctor if it lasts longer than a week. People who deal with chronic constipation often manage flare-ups at home for two to three weeks before seeking help, but a new or sudden change in your bowel habits deserves earlier attention.