For many people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (myself included), mornings can be a tricky time! Not only do we have to get ourselves ready for the day ahead, we have to do it in between stomach cramps and/or running to the bathroom.
However, mornings don’t have to be something we dread. An intentional and consistent morning routine can play a helpful role in managing morning IBS symptoms. With that said, here are four tips for an IBS-friendly morning routine.
Reduce Stress
One of the defining features of IBS is visceral hypersensitivity, or in other words, an overly sensitive gut. This sensitivity can be heightened through psychological factors including stress and anxiety. This is why gut-directed hypnotherapy has become a popular tool for managing IBS.
Here are some ways in which you can reduce stress in your mornings:
- Waking up earlier to give you time to slowly get ready for the day (and allow yourself enough time to go to the bathroom without having to rush).
- Organising your day the night before, which could include prepping your outfit, bag, or food.
- Gut-directed hypnotherapy tools like Nerva, or other calming activities like journalling, reading, prayer or breathing exercises.
- Staying off social media for the first 1-2 hours upon waking.
Choose Exercise Wisely
In the long-term exercise can help with the management of IBS symptoms. Particularly for those with IBS-C, as exercise helps to move things along. However, for some people certain types of exercise can trigger IBS symptoms in the morning. If this is you, I encourage you to experiment with different types of exercise. For those with IBS-D in particular, low-impact exercise may be more suitable, for example walking, yoga, cycling or swimming.
Otherwise, you can fit in exercise at other times throughout your day!
Eat Breakfast Slowly
Often we’re so focused on what we eat, that we forget about how we eat. Digestion starts with chewing, where it breaks down food so it is more easily processed by the body. So eating slowly and chewing your food thoroughly can help improve digestion.
If you struggle in this area, here are some tips:
- Allow yourself enough time in the morning to have breakfast.
- Eat without distractions so you can be more mindful.
- Get into a habit of taking a few slow, deep breaths before you start eating.
Minimise Food Triggers
Of course, minimise your individual food triggers if you know what they are. Or, just be mindful of the amount of those triggers that you are eating. For example, if you’ve identified particular FODMAPs that you react to, keep the quantity in the ‘low’ category.
Furthermore, people with IBS can also have a heightened gastrocolic reflex, which is the reflex that makes you want to poop after you eat. You can calm this by eating a smaller meal, and minimising fatty and highly processed foods. However, if you have IBS-C you can use this to your advantage by including some healthy sources of fats (avocado, peanut butter or fried egg cooked in a little extra virgin olive oil).
I hope these tips can help you to build your IBS-friendly morning routine, so you can start your day on the right foot.
If you want one-to-one support and guidance on IBS you can book online here, or email me at info@chante-louise.com to organise a consult!
Talk soon,
Chanté
