Table of ContentsView AllTable of Contents4 Reasons it Feels GoodWhy It Can Feel BadHow to Make It EnjoyableHolding in Poop
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
4 Reasons it Feels Good
Why It Can Feel Bad
How to Make It Enjoyable
Holding in Poop
Many people feel a sense of relief afterpooping. However, some people experience intense physical or mental pleasure after pooping, a sensation casually called “poo-phoria.”
Bowel movements (poops) stimulate hormones (e.g., endorphins) associated with well-being, pain, and stress relief. This burst of these so-called feel-good chemicals is primarily related to the activity of the vasovagal nerve, which regulates digestion, among other functions.
This article breaks down why pooping feels good and what can make it uncomfortable. It also discusses healthy ways to promote healthy bowel movements and whether “holding it” is a good idea.
MixMedia / Getty Images
Pooping Feels Good for 4 Reasons
Healthy bowel activity releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) associated with feelings of well-being, and can have mental health benefits.Below are four psychological and physiological reasons pooping feels good.
Pudendal Nerve Stimulation
Thepudendal nerveis the major nerve of your pelvic region. It plays a role in keeping your pelvic floor and sphincter muscles tense to regulate poop and pee.
This nerve is also associated with sensation around your anus and genitals. A good bowel movement stimulates the pudendal nerve, allowing the pelvic floor muscles to relax, contributing to the sense of relief and pleasure you may feel after you poop.
The Pudendal Nerve and Anal SexThe pudendal nerve is associated with sensation and regulates muscle movements around the anus, and is crucial for sexual function. It’s associated with sensation from the vagina, labia, and clitoris in a person with a vagina and carries sensation from the penis, regulatingerectionsand ejaculations.Anal sexand stimulation is pleasurable because of the excitation of pudendal nerve endings around the anus.
The Pudendal Nerve and Anal Sex
The pudendal nerve is associated with sensation and regulates muscle movements around the anus, and is crucial for sexual function. It’s associated with sensation from the vagina, labia, and clitoris in a person with a vagina and carries sensation from the penis, regulatingerectionsand ejaculations.Anal sexand stimulation is pleasurable because of the excitation of pudendal nerve endings around the anus.
Vasovagal Nerve Stimulation
During bowel movements, the muscles surrounding the colon and rectum (of the lower intestine) contract and relax. These muscles use internal pressure to push the poop through the sphincter, the muscular ring surrounding the anus. These changes in muscle tension can stimulatethe vagus (or vasovagal) nerve, especially with large bowel movements.
The vasovagal nerve runs from the colon to the brain stem. It helps regulate digestion, mood, heart rate, and immune response as part of the parasympathetic nervous system (the system responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” state).
Stimulating this nerve causes avasovagal reflex.reducing the heart rate and blood pressure, leading to pleasant light-headedness, and contributing to the feel-good sensation you may experience after pooping
Serotonin Release
There are also intimate connections between the intestines (or gut) and the brain. Serotonin—a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) associated with digestion, mood, sleep, and other functions—is produced in both parts of the body.
Healthy bowel movements rid the body of excess serotonin, which can help regulate mood. The connection between bowel movements and serotonin is also why pooping issues, such asirritable bowel disease(IBD), frequently accompany depression and anxiety disorder. Of those newly diagnosed with IBD, researchers found 37.2% of patients had symptoms of anxiety, and 17.3% had symptoms of depression.
Psychological Effects
The anticipation of having to go to the bathroom can be a cause of anxiety and stress, especially if you’re constipated or have other bathroom difficulties.The relief you feel finally having a good bowel movement relieves both physical and mental discomfort. It can improve mood and reduce stress.
Why Would Pooping Not Feel Good?
Just as there can be satisfying or pleasurable bowel movements, a range of disorders and diseases can make having a bowel movement painful and unpleasant.
Constipation
Constipation may occur as a symptom of certain diseases, a side-effect of some medications, or dehydration and can be a source of discomfort when pooping. Signs of constipation include:
Diarrhea
Defecation Syncope
The vasovagal nerve stimulation that causes pooping to feel good can cause more distressing symptoms, too. The strain of pushing stimulates this nerve, affecting breathing and causing a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to defecation syncope (losing consciousness while having a bowel movement).
Bowel Endometriosis
Endometriosisis a disorder that affects people assigned female at birth. In this disorder, tissue similar to that lining the uterus grows outside of the uterus. It can affect the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and tissues lining the pelvic floor. Endometriosis causes pain during sex and periods, chronic pelvic pain, bleeding between periods, and infertility. This condition also causes nausea, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
IBD—sometimes mistaken for IBS—refers to two diseases that cause gut inflammation and bowel symptoms: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s disease impacts any part of the gastrointestinal tract (the digestive symptom), while ulcerative colitis is confined to the large intestine and rectum. Common signs of IBD include:
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids(sometimes called piles) arise when the veins around the anus become swollen and inflamed. They can cause painful growths that occur internally or externally. Among the symptoms of hemorrhoids are pain when sitting, anal itching, and bleeding or bloody stools.
Other Conditions
Various other conditions and diseases can cause pain and discomfort during bowel movements. These include:
Fecal Incontinence and the Urge to GoFecal incontinence, an inability to control your bowel movements, is related to pelvic muscle dysfunction. When the pelvic floor muscles are too weak or aren’t working correctly, it can result in an inability to hold poop in when you have to go. Someone with fecal incontinence may pass stools, liquid, or discharges, often without noticing or feeling any urgency.
Fecal Incontinence and the Urge to Go
Fecal incontinence, an inability to control your bowel movements, is related to pelvic muscle dysfunction. When the pelvic floor muscles are too weak or aren’t working correctly, it can result in an inability to hold poop in when you have to go. Someone with fecal incontinence may pass stools, liquid, or discharges, often without noticing or feeling any urgency.
How to Make Pooping More Enjoyable
It’s important to know what healthy poop looks like. Characteristics include:
Medically treating chronic conditions, such as IBD, chronic diarrhea, and endometriosis, can help restore healthy bowel movements. Other lifestyle changes can help make pooping more enjoyable. Here’s what you can try:
Holding in Poop: Good or Bad Idea?
Some people may put off going to the bathroom to spur a larger—and potentially more satisfying—bowel movement. There are several reasons why holding it in like this may be a bad idea:
Healthcare providers recommend going to the bathroom when you have the urge and not straining or forcing a bowel movement too much.
Summary
There are several reasons that pooping feels good. The relaxation of muscles in the rectum and sphincter can cause a sense of relief. In some, large bowel movements can trigger a vasovagal reflex, dropping heart rate and blood pressure to cause pleasurable sensations.
In addition, healthy bowel movements have been linked to hormones and brain chemicals associated with the sense of well-being.
On the other hand, many conditions can make pooping painful and unpleasant. Certain foods, diseases, and medications can make pooping painful or difficult. Among methods to promote healthy pooping are increasing fiber and water intake and managing any underlying chronic conditions.
25 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders.Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:44. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044Hirabayashi Y, Nakamura K, Sonehara T, et al.Analysis of serotonin in human feces using solid phase extraction and column-switching LC-MS/MS.Mass Spectrom (Tokyo). 2020;9(1):A0081. doi:10.5702/massspectrometry.A0081Trzpis M, Sun G, Chen JH, Huizinga JD, Broens P.Novel insights into physiological mechanisms underlying fecal continence.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2023;324(1):G1-G9. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00313.2021Yu SW, Rao SS.Anorectal physiology and pathophysiology in the elderly.Clin Geriatr Med. 2014;30(1):95-106. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2013.10.003Aoun F, Alkassis M, Tayeh G, et al.Sexual dysfunction due to pudendal neuralgia: a systematic review.Transl Androl Urol.2021;10(6):2500-2511. doi:10.21037/tau-21-13Bernabeu P, Belén-Galipienso O, van-der Hofstadt C, et al.Psychological burden and quality of life in newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease patients.Front Psychol. 2024;15:1334308. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1334308Gozali FS, Febiana B, Putra IGNS, Karyana IPG, Hegar B.Relationship between psychological stress with functional constipation in children: a systematic review.Pan Afr Med J. 2023;46:8. doi:10.11604/pamj.2023.46.8.41130National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Constipation: definition and facts. May 2018.MedlinePlus.Diarrhea. July 20, 2016.Tigga MP.An unusual case of defecation syncope.J Midlife Health. 2019;10(2):99-100. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_2_19Ek M, Roth B, Bengtsson M, Ohlsson B.Gastrointestinal symptoms in women with endometriosis and microscopic colitis in comparison to irritable bowel syndrome: a cross-sectional study.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2021;32(10):819-827. doi:10.5152/tjg.2020.19583National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for irritable bowel syndrome. November, 2017.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is inflammatory bowel disease?April 13, 2022.MedlinePlus.Hemorrhoids. November 13, 2023.National Cancer Institute.Radiation therapy side effects.MedlinePlus.Chlamydia infections. March 19, 2024.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital HPV infection. April 12, 2022.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of anal cancer.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases.Definition and facts for fecal incontinence. July, 2017.Harvey S, Matthai S, King DA.How to use the Bristol Stool Chart in childhood constipation.Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2022;0:1-5. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2022-324513MedlinePlus.Stools: foul smelling. July 30, 2022.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation. May 2018.Bhattacharya S, Chattu VK, Singh A.Health promotion and prevention of bowel disorders through toilet designs: a myth or reality?J Educ Health Promot. 2019;8:40. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_198_18Rose C, Parker A, Jefferson B, Cartmell E.The characterization of feces and urine: a review of the literature to inform advanced treatment technology.Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol. 2015;45(17):1827-1879. doi:10.1080/10643389.2014.1000761Raahave D.Faecal retention: a common cause in functional bowel disorders, appendicitis and haemorrhoids–with medical and surgical therapy.Dan Med J. 2015;62(3):B5031.
25 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders.Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:44. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044Hirabayashi Y, Nakamura K, Sonehara T, et al.Analysis of serotonin in human feces using solid phase extraction and column-switching LC-MS/MS.Mass Spectrom (Tokyo). 2020;9(1):A0081. doi:10.5702/massspectrometry.A0081Trzpis M, Sun G, Chen JH, Huizinga JD, Broens P.Novel insights into physiological mechanisms underlying fecal continence.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2023;324(1):G1-G9. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00313.2021Yu SW, Rao SS.Anorectal physiology and pathophysiology in the elderly.Clin Geriatr Med. 2014;30(1):95-106. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2013.10.003Aoun F, Alkassis M, Tayeh G, et al.Sexual dysfunction due to pudendal neuralgia: a systematic review.Transl Androl Urol.2021;10(6):2500-2511. doi:10.21037/tau-21-13Bernabeu P, Belén-Galipienso O, van-der Hofstadt C, et al.Psychological burden and quality of life in newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease patients.Front Psychol. 2024;15:1334308. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1334308Gozali FS, Febiana B, Putra IGNS, Karyana IPG, Hegar B.Relationship between psychological stress with functional constipation in children: a systematic review.Pan Afr Med J. 2023;46:8. doi:10.11604/pamj.2023.46.8.41130National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Constipation: definition and facts. May 2018.MedlinePlus.Diarrhea. July 20, 2016.Tigga MP.An unusual case of defecation syncope.J Midlife Health. 2019;10(2):99-100. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_2_19Ek M, Roth B, Bengtsson M, Ohlsson B.Gastrointestinal symptoms in women with endometriosis and microscopic colitis in comparison to irritable bowel syndrome: a cross-sectional study.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2021;32(10):819-827. doi:10.5152/tjg.2020.19583National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for irritable bowel syndrome. November, 2017.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is inflammatory bowel disease?April 13, 2022.MedlinePlus.Hemorrhoids. November 13, 2023.National Cancer Institute.Radiation therapy side effects.MedlinePlus.Chlamydia infections. March 19, 2024.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital HPV infection. April 12, 2022.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of anal cancer.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases.Definition and facts for fecal incontinence. July, 2017.Harvey S, Matthai S, King DA.How to use the Bristol Stool Chart in childhood constipation.Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2022;0:1-5. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2022-324513MedlinePlus.Stools: foul smelling. July 30, 2022.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation. May 2018.Bhattacharya S, Chattu VK, Singh A.Health promotion and prevention of bowel disorders through toilet designs: a myth or reality?J Educ Health Promot. 2019;8:40. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_198_18Rose C, Parker A, Jefferson B, Cartmell E.The characterization of feces and urine: a review of the literature to inform advanced treatment technology.Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol. 2015;45(17):1827-1879. doi:10.1080/10643389.2014.1000761Raahave D.Faecal retention: a common cause in functional bowel disorders, appendicitis and haemorrhoids–with medical and surgical therapy.Dan Med J. 2015;62(3):B5031.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders.Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:44. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044Hirabayashi Y, Nakamura K, Sonehara T, et al.Analysis of serotonin in human feces using solid phase extraction and column-switching LC-MS/MS.Mass Spectrom (Tokyo). 2020;9(1):A0081. doi:10.5702/massspectrometry.A0081Trzpis M, Sun G, Chen JH, Huizinga JD, Broens P.Novel insights into physiological mechanisms underlying fecal continence.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2023;324(1):G1-G9. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00313.2021Yu SW, Rao SS.Anorectal physiology and pathophysiology in the elderly.Clin Geriatr Med. 2014;30(1):95-106. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2013.10.003Aoun F, Alkassis M, Tayeh G, et al.Sexual dysfunction due to pudendal neuralgia: a systematic review.Transl Androl Urol.2021;10(6):2500-2511. doi:10.21037/tau-21-13Bernabeu P, Belén-Galipienso O, van-der Hofstadt C, et al.Psychological burden and quality of life in newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease patients.Front Psychol. 2024;15:1334308. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1334308Gozali FS, Febiana B, Putra IGNS, Karyana IPG, Hegar B.Relationship between psychological stress with functional constipation in children: a systematic review.Pan Afr Med J. 2023;46:8. doi:10.11604/pamj.2023.46.8.41130National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Constipation: definition and facts. May 2018.MedlinePlus.Diarrhea. July 20, 2016.Tigga MP.An unusual case of defecation syncope.J Midlife Health. 2019;10(2):99-100. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_2_19Ek M, Roth B, Bengtsson M, Ohlsson B.Gastrointestinal symptoms in women with endometriosis and microscopic colitis in comparison to irritable bowel syndrome: a cross-sectional study.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2021;32(10):819-827. doi:10.5152/tjg.2020.19583National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for irritable bowel syndrome. November, 2017.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is inflammatory bowel disease?April 13, 2022.MedlinePlus.Hemorrhoids. November 13, 2023.National Cancer Institute.Radiation therapy side effects.MedlinePlus.Chlamydia infections. March 19, 2024.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital HPV infection. April 12, 2022.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of anal cancer.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases.Definition and facts for fecal incontinence. July, 2017.Harvey S, Matthai S, King DA.How to use the Bristol Stool Chart in childhood constipation.Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2022;0:1-5. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2022-324513MedlinePlus.Stools: foul smelling. July 30, 2022.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation. May 2018.Bhattacharya S, Chattu VK, Singh A.Health promotion and prevention of bowel disorders through toilet designs: a myth or reality?J Educ Health Promot. 2019;8:40. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_198_18Rose C, Parker A, Jefferson B, Cartmell E.The characterization of feces and urine: a review of the literature to inform advanced treatment technology.Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol. 2015;45(17):1827-1879. doi:10.1080/10643389.2014.1000761Raahave D.Faecal retention: a common cause in functional bowel disorders, appendicitis and haemorrhoids–with medical and surgical therapy.Dan Med J. 2015;62(3):B5031.
Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders.Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:44. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044
Hirabayashi Y, Nakamura K, Sonehara T, et al.Analysis of serotonin in human feces using solid phase extraction and column-switching LC-MS/MS.Mass Spectrom (Tokyo). 2020;9(1):A0081. doi:10.5702/massspectrometry.A0081
Trzpis M, Sun G, Chen JH, Huizinga JD, Broens P.Novel insights into physiological mechanisms underlying fecal continence.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2023;324(1):G1-G9. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00313.2021
Yu SW, Rao SS.Anorectal physiology and pathophysiology in the elderly.Clin Geriatr Med. 2014;30(1):95-106. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2013.10.003
Aoun F, Alkassis M, Tayeh G, et al.Sexual dysfunction due to pudendal neuralgia: a systematic review.Transl Androl Urol.2021;10(6):2500-2511. doi:10.21037/tau-21-13
Bernabeu P, Belén-Galipienso O, van-der Hofstadt C, et al.Psychological burden and quality of life in newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease patients.Front Psychol. 2024;15:1334308. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1334308
Gozali FS, Febiana B, Putra IGNS, Karyana IPG, Hegar B.Relationship between psychological stress with functional constipation in children: a systematic review.Pan Afr Med J. 2023;46:8. doi:10.11604/pamj.2023.46.8.41130
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Constipation: definition and facts. May 2018.
MedlinePlus.Diarrhea. July 20, 2016.
Tigga MP.An unusual case of defecation syncope.J Midlife Health. 2019;10(2):99-100. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_2_19
Ek M, Roth B, Bengtsson M, Ohlsson B.Gastrointestinal symptoms in women with endometriosis and microscopic colitis in comparison to irritable bowel syndrome: a cross-sectional study.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2021;32(10):819-827. doi:10.5152/tjg.2020.19583
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for irritable bowel syndrome. November, 2017.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is inflammatory bowel disease?April 13, 2022.
MedlinePlus.Hemorrhoids. November 13, 2023.
National Cancer Institute.Radiation therapy side effects.
MedlinePlus.Chlamydia infections. March 19, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital HPV infection. April 12, 2022.
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of anal cancer.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases.Definition and facts for fecal incontinence. July, 2017.
Harvey S, Matthai S, King DA.How to use the Bristol Stool Chart in childhood constipation.Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2022;0:1-5. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2022-324513
MedlinePlus.Stools: foul smelling. July 30, 2022.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation. May 2018.
Bhattacharya S, Chattu VK, Singh A.Health promotion and prevention of bowel disorders through toilet designs: a myth or reality?J Educ Health Promot. 2019;8:40. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_198_18
Rose C, Parker A, Jefferson B, Cartmell E.The characterization of feces and urine: a review of the literature to inform advanced treatment technology.Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol. 2015;45(17):1827-1879. doi:10.1080/10643389.2014.1000761
Raahave D.Faecal retention: a common cause in functional bowel disorders, appendicitis and haemorrhoids–with medical and surgical therapy.Dan Med J. 2015;62(3):B5031.
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