A sudden change in bowel habits merits a visit to your doctor to rule out any more serious underlying problems. But for the occasional bout of constipation, here are some tips to put you back on track:

Get moving. Exercise seems not only to boost your fitness but to promote regularity as well. “The thinking is that lack of activity puts the bowels to rest,” says Banks. That may partially explain why older people, who may be more sedentary, and those who are bedridden are prone to becoming constipated. “We encourage people to get up and be more active,” says Banks. So gear up and get moving. You don’t have to run a marathon; a simple walking workout doesn’t take much time and can be very beneficial. When it comes to regularity, even a little exercise is better than none at all.

Raise your glass. Drinking an adequate amount of liquids may help to alleviate constipation or prevent it from happening in the first place. The reason for this is simple. “If you dehydrate yourself or drink too little fluid, that will dry out your stool as well and make it hard to pass,” says Schuster.

On the other hand, some people have the misconception that if you drink far more than you need, you can treat constipation. Schuster disagrees, saying the excess fluid will just get urinated out.

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Irregularity is one of those things that no one likes to talk about. It’s personal and, well, a little
embarrassing. But if you’re one of the millions of people who’s ever been constipated, you know it can put a real damper on your day.

The first thing to realize when you’re talking about constipation is that “regularity” is a relative term. Everyone has his or her own natural rhythm. Ask four people to define regularity, and you’re likely to get at least four different answers. Normal bowel habits can span anywhere from three bowel movements a day to three a week, according to Marvin Schuster, M.D., professor of medicine with a joint appointment in psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and chief of the Division of Digestive Diseases at Francis Scott Key Medical Center, both in Baltimore.

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