Avoiding Holiday Constipation: Why Holidays Cause Constipation and How to Overcome It

The holiday season can bring joy, festivities, and family gatherings. But for many, it also brings an unwelcome guest: constipation. You might wonder why your digestive system seems to have more problems during this time of year. For me, Black Friday has a dual meaning…  Emotional factors play a significant role in holiday constipation, affecting your gut health more than you might realize.

Constipation is often a psychosomatic symptom of stress, anxiety, trauma, and changes in routine. You may find yourself eating differently, sleeping less, anxious about a family visit, or feeling overwhelmed by social obligations. Stress of all kinds can have a profound effect on your bodily functions, including digestion and elimination. During periods of high stress, your body's fight-or-flight response is activated, which can slow down or disrupt digestive processes. This response can cause the muscles in your intestines to tighten and contract irregularly, ultimately leading to constipation. Trauma can alter the way your body senses and responds to internal signals, including those related to bowel movements. The tension and unresolved stress associated with trauma can cause chronic disruption in the gut, manifesting as constipation. 

All I want for Christmas is to poop every day. Recognizing the connection between your emotions and digestive health is the first step towards a more comfortable holiday season. By understanding how stress and anxiety affect your body, you can take proactive steps to maintain regularity and enjoy the festivities without discomfort. 

Key Takeaways

• Emotional stress during holidays reduces your gut’s digestive functioning, slowing motility, and causing constipation
• Anxiety, financial stress, family dynamics, changes in routine, travel, and diet can contribute to constipation
• Awareness of these factors helps manage them

Psychological Factors

Stress From Family Dynamics

Family gatherings can be a source of tension. You might feel anxious about seeing certain relatives or navigating complex relationships. As I write this, I’m getting ready to have Thanksgiving lunch with my kids at their mom’s house, divorce still pending. I’m anxiously anticipating emotional responses. It sucks. This stress can trigger your body's fight/flight/freeze response, raising cortisol levels, and slowing down digestion and peristalsis.

Like Ken Wilber says about living consciously: “It hurts more, but bothers you less”. I prepared myself for the day with a long somatic immersion, so I’m in touch with my body’s feelings and less likely to be reactive. I’m holding an expanded awareness and reminding myself of the desired outcomes of happy, healthy, loving relationships. This takes practice… years, so start now if you are inspired. These small actions make for smoother gatherings and can help relax your digestive system, too.

Perfectionism

The pressure to create a "perfect" holiday experience can impact your bowel movements. You might be so focused on decorating, cooking, and hosting that you neglect your body’s needs: eating, rest, hydration, etc.

Set realistic expectations for yourself. Remember, taking care of yourself gives others permission and inspiration to take care of themselves. Doesn’t that sound like a nice world? 

My grandmother burned the rolls at Christmas dinner…every   single   year. Her shouting “the rolls!” and jumping up from the table is a part of family lore. It is an endearing thing we laugh about now that she is gone. 

It's okay if everything isn't perfect. People who love you will forgive you. People who don’t… well F them. 

Trauma-Based Factors

Past traumatic experiences and unresolved grief can significantly impact your digestive health during the holidays. These emotional factors can manifest physically as tension held in the gut, headaches, low circulation in hands and feet, and constipation or other gastrointestinal issues.

Triggers From Past Experiences

Holiday gatherings may remind you of distressing events from your past. Family dynamics, specific locations, or certain traditions can evoke uncomfortable memories. I remember a particular Christmas when I was 8. My grandparents, aunts, and uncles got really drunk and as a sensitive kid I could feel the hollowness and sadness in everyone around me. I was scared and sad. The weeks leading up to the holiday season still bring up anxiety and sadness for me, but it is getting lighter each year. As long as I keep doing somatic work and having better, healthier holidays it programs in better vibes. This is how it works. It takes time and effort. Start now if you are inspired. Sensing a theme?

To manage these triggers, consider:

• Identifying potential stressors beforehand
• Practicing relaxation techniques
• Setting boundaries with family members
• Seeking support from a trusted friend or therapist

Grief and Loss

The absence of loved ones during the holidays can intensify feelings of grief. This emotional strain often translates into physical symptoms, including constipation.

You might experience:

• Loss of appetite
• Irregular eating habits
• Neglect of self-care routines

Lower serotonin levels and higher stress hormones such as cortisol released during periods of grief can also slow down your gut motility.

To cope with grief-related constipation:

• Acknowledge the loss instead of trying to make things feel “normal”
• Create a ceremony or group discussion to share and process feelings
• Allow yourself time to process emotions
• Consider joining a support group for those grieving during the holidays

Emotional Factors

Holiday Blues

You might experience sadness or depression during the holiday season. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), triggered by the short days and long dark nights, causes a drop in serotonin. Loneliness, grief, or disappointment may lead to comfort eating, or using more substances such as alcohol or cannabis.

These shifts can disrupt your usual bowel habits. You may find yourself reaching for sugary foods that cause a blood sugar roller coaster. Emotional eating can also cause you to ignore your body's natural hunger and fullness cues.

My go to SAD protocol is a long walk or run, hopefully in the sunshine. Just being aware of SAD or regular holiday blues can alleviate that feeling that something is wrong with you. You are ok. It’s a normal cycle experienced by many (maybe most) people to varying degrees.

Anticipatory Anxiety and FOMO

The expectations about having “wonderful”  holiday experiences can cause anticipatory anxiety. This is similar to the perfectionism we discussed, but this version comes from the stories we tell ourselves. “They are going to love this present”, “This person is going to be at the party and we will dance and fall in love”, that kind of stuff. 

To manage anticipatory anxiety:

• Recognize the stories in your head
• Set realistic expectations for the holidays
• Plan ahead to reduce last-minute stress
• Assess your values and don’t get swayed by the marketing machine

Social Pressure

You may feel overwhelmed by expectations to participate in every holiday gathering or event. This can lead to overcommitting and neglecting self-care routines. The pressure to be "merry and bright" might cause you to be “exhausted and constipated”.

Try setting boundaries and saying no to some invitations. Prioritize activities that truly bring you joy. Be honest with loved ones about your needs, wants, and limits.

Isolation

Holiday loneliness can affect your digestive system too. You might feel cut off from others, especially if you can't be with family or friends. This sense of isolation often leads to changes in eating patterns and increased stress hormones.

Oxytocin, a feel good neurotransmitter, is produced from safe social interactions. Hugs for the win! Oxytocin reduces food cravings, improves insulin sensitivity, increases intestinal motility, and overall makes us feel safe and happy. Go get you some…

Reach out to others, even if just for a brief phone call or video chat. Consider volunteering or joining community events to feel more connected. These groups need extra help during the holidays. 

Financial Stress

The holidays can be expensive. Desires are usually greater than income and savings. Pressure to overspend is everywhere. Choose freedom. Choose sanity. Choose pooping.

Emotional Eating

When you're feeling overwhelmed, you might turn to food for comfort. This can lead to overeating or poor food choices, compounding gut issues. When the emotional urge for another piece of pie hits, recognize it. Try drinking a glass of water. Feel your body sensations and sit with them for a while. Again, somatic immersion is a great tool to ground these feelings.

Overwhelm and Shutdown

Recognize when you're feeling overwhelmed or shutdown and take steps to manage stress. Prioritize self-care activities that help you relax, such as:

• Taking a warm bath
• Practicing deep breathing exercises
• Going for a walk

Create a calm environment at home. Dim lights, play soothing music, or use aromatherapy to promote relaxation. Regular exercise can also help reduce stress and improve digestion. Give yourself the holiday gift of wellbeing and good health.

Managing These Situations

To summarize, here are some tools for addressing the emotional roots of holiday constipation.

Awareness

Pay attention to your body's signals and emotional state during the holiday season. Notice any tension in your abdomen or changes in bowel habits. Tune into your feelings about family gatherings, travel, or holiday expectations.

Use your calendar or note taking app to track your symptoms and emotions. This can help you identify patterns and triggers, but you probably know them already.

Try setting aside quiet time each day for self-reflection. Even 5-10 minutes can make a difference in recognizing your needs and stress levels.

Somatic Release Techniques

Somatic immersion is effective at releasing stored tension in the body and rewiring your stress responses. I like this method because it doesn’t involve a lot of thinking or analyzing. It is very direct. The Conquering Constipation course has physical exercises and somatic immersion practices to help you get pooping again. Yoga and breathing exercises can help with this, too.

Heal Relationships

Address any ongoing conflicts or unresolved issues with family members. Have honest, respectful conversations to clear the air before holiday gatherings.

This stuff is hard but worth it. Set clear boundaries about your time and energy. It's okay to say no to some invitations or traditions that cause stress.

Seek support from a trusted friend or therapist if family dynamics are particularly challenging. Having a safe space to process your feelings can be immensely helpful.

Consider writing a letter (even if you don't send it) to express your emotions and work through difficult relationships.

When you change yourself, others will change in response. You might believe they will respond in an angry or emotional way. Sometimes they will surprise you with a positive change that rebuilds your relationship. Either way you will feel better in the long run. And you will poop better because of it.

NEXT: For more travel related pooping tips: https://www.getpooping.com/blog/prevent-travel-constipation-protocol-for-comfortable-journeys

ALSO: My friend Chris Guillebeau wrote an excellent short essay about Holiday Dread. You can read it here: https://www.yearofmentalhealth.com/p/dreading-the-holidays

I’m excited for his next book “Time Anxiety” to come out on April 15, 2025, and you can pre-order now: Time Anxiety [Amazon link] We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.