Traveling can be exciting –new places, new foods, new adventures. However, traveling can also throw your digestion completely off track. Bloating, sluggishness, and constipation are incredibly common, especially if you’re crossing time zones, trying new cuisines, or stuck sitting for hours in transit. 

A few proactive habits can go a long way to keeping your gut happy, even when you’re far from home.

Why Does Travel Mess with Digestion?

There are several reasons why travel-related constipation is so common. Most of them have to do with breaking your body’s normal routine.

1. Disrupted Sleep and Schedule: Your digestive system is closely linked to your body clock. Early flights, late nights, or irregular sleep can confuse your gut and slow things down.
2. Dehydration: Dry airplane air, skipped water breaks, caffeine, and cocktails–A perfect storm for dehydration and constipation.
3. Diet Changes: Heavy meals, processed snacks, and fewer fruits and veggies can disrupt your gut microbiome–the balance of good bacteria that helps to keep you regular.
4. Long Periods of Sitting: Hours on planes, trains, or buses can slow your digestion, especially with the added pressure changes of flying.
5. Stress and Anxiety: The stress from delays, language barriers, and unfamiliar surroundings activate your gut-brain connection, the two-way communication between your brain and digestive system, tightening things up.
6. Ignoring Bathroom Cues: Skipping bathroom breaks, especially if you’re uncomfortable using public restrooms, can make constipation worse.
7. Pre-existing GI Issues: Conditions like IBS or IBD, may make your gut sensitive to disruptions.

How to Stay Regular on the Go

The good news? You can minimize digestive discomfort with a few smart strategies!

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Carry a reusable water bottle and aim to sip water consistently through the day. Set reminders in your phone to remind you, especially if you’re in hot climates or higher altitudes.
• Prioritize fiber: Pack portable snacks like nuts, fruit, high-fiber bars, or pre-cut veggies on travel days. Try to work in fresh produce and whole grains into your meals wherever you can.
• Keep It Moving: Take walks during layovers, stretch on the plane, or fit in a quick workout at your hotel. A few well-timed yoga stretches can help stimulate your digestion.
• Manage stress: A short meditation session can go a long way to calming your nervous system and supporting digestion. Practice deep breathing or pop in your ear buds for a guided bit of mindfulness practice.
• Don’t ignore urges: Resist the urge to “hold it” until you’re back at the hotel. The longer you delay when the urge to go strikes, the more water your body reabsorbs from your stool, making it harder to pass stool later.
• Stick to a Loose Routine: Your body thrives on predictability, especially when it comes to digestion. Try to eat and sleep around the same time each day.
• Pack a Digestive Travel Kit: Bring along a few just-in-case items, like stool softeners, fiber supplements, and even gentle laxatives if you get really blocked up and need relief. Some people who experience frequent bouts of travel constipation will start taking stool softeners ahead of their trip.

Fleet® offers a full range of solutions, including oral laxatives, enemas, and suppositories. Not sure what you need? Try our Product Selector to find your best option.

Stay Regular, Stay Adventurous

Don’t let constipation ground your travel. While travel can throw your digestion off track, it’s usually temporary.  By staying hydrated, keeping your body moving, and being mindful of your diet and stress levels, you can avoid that backed-up feeling and enjoy your travels to the fullest.