If you’re constipated and need to go, there are several things you can do right now to help move things along, from changing your sitting position to using the right over-the-counter product. Most occasional constipation resolves within a few days using a combination of physical techniques, dietary changes, and, when needed, a laxative. Clinically, constipation means fewer than three bowel movements per week, or stools that are hard, lumpy, and difficult to pass more than 25% of the time.
Change Your Position on the Toilet
The fastest thing you can try costs nothing: put a footstool under your feet while sitting on the toilet. This works because the muscle that loops around your rectum (the puborectalis) relaxes more fully when your knees are above your hips, straightening the angle between your rectum and anal canal. In a squatting position, that angle opens to about 126 degrees compared to 100 degrees during normal upright sitting. A straighter path means less straining and easier passage.
Any sturdy box, step stool, or purpose-built toilet stool works. Lean forward slightly with your elbows on your knees. Relax your belly rather than bearing down hard, and give yourself a few unhurried minutes.
Use Your Body’s Built-In Timing
Your digestive system has a reflex that pushes stool toward the exit after you eat. Known as the gastrocolic reflex, it kicks in within minutes to about an hour after a meal. It tends to be strongest after breakfast, when your gut is waking up after a long overnight fast. Drinking a warm beverage with that meal can amplify the effect.
If you’ve been ignoring the urge to go or sitting at your desk through it, try sitting on the toilet about 15 to 20 minutes after eating. Do this consistently and your body often starts to develop a predictable rhythm. The reflex can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, so you have a window to work with.
Try Abdominal Massage
Massaging your abdomen in a specific pattern can physically encourage stool to move through the colon. The technique follows the path waste naturally travels: up the right side of your belly, across the top, and down the left side. This is sometimes called the “I Love U” massage because the strokes trace the shapes of those three letters.
Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent. Using moderate, steady pressure with your fingertips or palm, stroke downward along the left side of your abdomen (the “I”). Then stroke across from right to left just below your ribs, and back down the left side (the “L”). Finally, trace up the right side, across the top, and down the left side (the “U”). Repeat for about 10 to 15 minutes. In clinical studies on hospitalized patients, twice-daily sessions over 10 days significantly increased the frequency of bowel movements and reduced bloating.
Fiber That Actually Helps Right Now
Not all fiber works the same way when you’re constipated. Insoluble fiber, found in wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains, adds bulk to stool and physically pushes it through your intestines. Soluble fiber, found in oats, beans, and psyllium husks, dissolves into a gel that softens stool and makes it easier to pass. For immediate relief, you want both, but prioritize getting more insoluble fiber if your stools are small and hard.
Practical high-fiber options that tend to work quickly include prunes (which also contain a natural sugar alcohol that draws water into the colon), kiwifruit, ground flaxseed, and a psyllium-based fiber supplement mixed into a full glass of water. Increase fiber gradually. Adding too much at once can make bloating and gas worse before things improve. And fiber only works if you’re drinking enough fluid alongside it, since fiber absorbs water to do its job.
Drink More Fluids, Especially Warm Ones
Dehydration is one of the most common contributors to hard, difficult-to-pass stools. When your body doesn’t have enough water, the colon absorbs more fluid from waste, leaving it dry and compacted. Drinking a large glass of warm water or hot coffee first thing in the morning can stimulate contractions in the colon. Coffee in particular has a well-documented effect on gut motility for many people, even decaf to some degree.
Throughout the day, aim for enough fluid that your urine is a pale yellow. There’s no magic number, but if you’re currently drinking very little water, increasing by two to three extra glasses can make a noticeable difference within a day or two.
Over-the-Counter Laxatives by Speed
If physical techniques and dietary changes aren’t enough, several types of laxatives are available without a prescription. They work through different mechanisms and on different timelines.
- Osmotic laxatives draw water into the bowel to soften stool. Magnesium citrate is one of the faster options, typically producing a bowel movement within 30 minutes to 6 hours. Take it with a full 8-ounce glass of water. Other osmotic options like polyethylene glycol (the powder you mix into water) are gentler and usually work within one to three days.
- Stimulant laxatives trigger the muscles in your intestinal wall to contract, physically pushing stool along. Products containing bisacodyl or senna generally work within 6 to 12 hours. These are effective for occasional use but shouldn’t become a daily habit.
- Stool softeners lower the surface tension of stool so water and fats can penetrate it. They’re the gentlest option but also the slowest, often taking one to three days to work. These are better for prevention than acute relief.
- Bulk-forming laxatives like psyllium work similarly to dietary fiber, retaining fluid in the stool. They generally take 12 to 72 hours and need to be taken with plenty of water.
For the fastest relief, magnesium citrate or a stimulant laxative will work soonest. Don’t use magnesium citrate for more than a week, and avoid relying on stimulant laxatives regularly, as your bowel can become dependent on them.
Does Exercise Help?
You’ll often hear that going for a walk can get things moving, and there’s intuitive logic to it. Movement jostles your abdominal contents and may stimulate the colon. But the research is surprisingly mixed. One study on sedentary adults found that an hour of treadmill walking three times a week did not significantly change total gut transit time. The effect may be more noticeable for people who are very sedentary or for more vigorous activity, but moderate walking alone isn’t a reliable fix for acute constipation.
That said, a brisk walk after a meal can complement the gastrocolic reflex and is unlikely to hurt. It’s just not the first strategy to reach for when you need results quickly.
Probiotics for Ongoing Issues
If constipation is a recurring problem rather than a one-time event, certain probiotic strains may help over time. The strain with the strongest evidence is Bifidobacterium lactis, which has been studied in multiple trials and shown to increase the frequency of bowel movements and reduce the time stool spends in the colon. Another well-studied strain, Lactobacillus casei Shirota, appears to improve both stool consistency and overall constipation symptoms. These are available in specific yogurt products and supplements.
Probiotics aren’t a quick fix. They typically take a few weeks of daily use to shift your gut function. The prebiotic fiber inulin, found in chicory root, garlic, and onions, can also support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria that improve motility.
Red Flags That Need Attention
Most constipation is temporary and harmless, but certain symptoms point to something more serious. Blood in your stool or on the toilet paper, stools that are black or tarry, persistent stomach pain that doesn’t let up, unexplained weight loss, or a sudden change in the shape of your stools all warrant a medical evaluation. Constipation lasting longer than three weeks, or severe enough to interfere with your daily life, also falls outside the range of normal and shouldn’t be managed with home remedies alone.