When It Comes To Pooing, There’s No Place Like Home

I specifically envy people who can poo anywhere. 

A mum friend of mine could go number two in any public toilet – at the grocery store, while on a holiday trip or dropping the kids off at school. Me? I’d have to rush home asap!

We all have felt vacation constipation, toilet anxiety, or wanting to poo at someone else’s house in an unfamiliar toilet but not being able to. So we go home and find relief.

It’s actually a common occurrence.

In an article by The Atlantic, this common occurrence of why there’s no toilet like home was discussed.

“This is indeed a very familiar story,” says Nick Haslam, a professor of psychology at the University of Melbourne and author of Psychology in the Bathroom, in an interview with The Atlantic.

“Most people feel more comfortable going to the bathroom in familiar””and private””surroundings, Haslam added.”

‘More comfortable’ is an emotional state, but emotions are physiological responses,” Jack Gilbert, director of University of Chicago’s Microbiome Center, told The Atlantic. “So ‘more comfortable’ is a physiological state. It’s a way in which your body responds to its environment.”

When we arrive home, what we see, what we smell and the feeling of relaxation triggers the need to go.

In addition to that, our glucose level changes as well as our breathing pattern, hormones and other bodily adjustments occur. These changes urge the body to ‘move’.

A familiar toilet also helps us let go of inhibitions and fears that prevents us to relax in an unfamiliar environment. Therefore, our emotions affect our bowel movement.

While holding it in is quite normal, it is definitely not advisable – most especially when you are away for long hours or for a few days. When you resist the need to poo regularly it can result to discomfort, constipation or other health problems.

Keep your daily routine in check to help you ‘go with the flow’.

What you eat, your eating habits, water intake, how active you are and your sleeping pattern play a huge role into getting your bowel movement working properly.