Everyone has had that moment: You finally get to the bathroom after holding it in, and the sense of relief is immediate. Maybe even a little satisfying.
Pooping is a vital process that keeps our digestive systems working, yet it’s also something most people avoid talking about — especially when it comes to how it feels. It’s not exactly dinner table conversation.
These same systems also explain why pooping often feels relieving — and even pleasurable — for many people. Here’s a look at four reasons why pooping feels good.
1. It Stimulates the Vagus Nerve
If you feel sensations like calm and relaxation wash over you after going to the bathroom, thank your vagus nerve.
These nerves are activated after a bowel movement, triggering feel-good sensations Dr. Sheth describes as “poophoria” in his book. “We feel a slight drop in blood pressure, in heart rate, and other sensory effects that create a subtle sense of relaxation and well-being,” he says.
But don’t overdo it, says Caroline Soyka, DO, a gastroenterologist at Gastro Health in Jupiter, Florida. “When [the vagus nerve is] overstimulated, such as from straining too hard, holding your breath, or bearing down for too long, it can cause dizziness or even fainting.” And that definitely isn’t ideal when you’re sitting on the toilet.
2. It Activates the Rest of the Parasympathetic Nervous System, Too
3. It’s Stress-Relieving — Mentally and Physically
Before a bowel movement, stool can accumulate in the rectum, creating pressure, bloating, gas, and sometimes abdominal discomfort. Clenching to hold it in or straining to push bowels out can create tension — and some people feel stressed about bathroom difficulties, Sheth says. But once you’re finally able to go, all of that built-up tension is released, creating a noticeable sense of relief, Soyka says. “When the rectum empties, the pressure from stretching goes away. Your brain interprets this drop in pressure as relief,” she says.
Sheth compares it to holding your urine: “If you’ve ever had to hold your urine for a long time because you haven’t been able to go to the bathroom and then you release, you know that feeling.”
4. It Provides a Feeling of Satisfaction or Completeness
It’s a feeling of a problem solved, he says. “When we have a distension of the rectum and we’re able to collapse it, and evacuate it completely, it definitely creates a sort of sublime relaxation,” he says.
The Takeaway
- Pooping is a complex, coordinated process involving the digestive system, nervous system, and pelvic floor muscles that helps the body eliminate waste.
- The act of pooping can trigger multiple brain-body pathways, including the vagus nerve and other parts of the parasympathetic nervous system, which make it physically and mentally satisfying, calming, and stress-relieving.
- Healthy bowel movements can happen as often as three times a day or as infrequently as three times a week; stools should be comfortable to pass without straining.