Here’s How Long It Should Take To Poop, Says a Cleveland Clinic Gastroenterologist

It’s not typically the kind of thing you discuss or maybe even think about regularly—then travel, a weekend with friends, or another disruption in your routine causes you to ponder how long it should take you to poop. Several factors influence your personal bathroom habits, explains Adrienna Jirik, MD, a Cleveland Clinic gastroenterologist who says, “It is very important to have a good sense of one’s normal patterns.”

Dr. Jirik assures us that dietary and lifestyle factors are often to blame when it takes longer, or even shorter, than usual to do your business—though adding that an “insidious or sudden deviation from [your] normal pattern could possibly signify an issue.” Fecal incontinence is one example of a diagnosis that some people need a nudge to have checked. Dr. Jirik names colon cancer as another issue that an unusual departure from your typical “go” time can indicate.

What’s a “normal” amount of time it should take to poop?

“A reasonably ‘normal’ amount of time sitting on the toilet and passing a bowel movement is about five to 10 minutes, give or take a few minutes,” Dr. Jirik says. “For some people, this may include the need to come back to the toilet again 15 to 30 minutes after the initial bowel movement to ‘complete’ their bowel movement.”

Dr. Jirik adds that it’s also beneficial when your stools are soft, easily formed, and fairly easy to pass. Excessive straining and sitting time can potentially cause problems or, in some cases, signal an underlying issue.

Factors that can affect how long it takes to poop

Many things can affect pooping time and ease, Dr. Jirik explains, but the most common factors include:

• Texture: Harder, drier stools are much more difficult to pass.
• Anatomy: People with pelvic floor problems, prolapse, or previous surgeries or radiation will have more difficulty with stool evacuation, she says.
• Stress: “If you’re in a hurry to leave the house and trying to ‘force’ a bowel movement, this can sometimes make pooping much more difficult, as tensing and pushing or straining can actually narrow, instead of open up, the anorectal angle needed to pass stool easier.”

A wide range of dietary and lifestyle factors affect poop consistency, many of which are in your control. For instance, hard, dry, difficult-to-pass poops are a common sign of low fiber and water intake—but low activity levels, a hectic work schedule, travel, and medications can play a role as well, Dr. Jirik says. Even your period can upset your normal stool consistency and pooping time.

Underlying medical issues can also make it take longer to poop, such as constipation, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or a neurological disorder. Dr. Jirik says that a recent illness might temporarily throw off your normal patterns as well.

Toilet posture can make a difference, too. A 2025 review of research published in BMC Public Health found that squatting promotes easier, faster bowel movements, while sitting makes it harder for the body to pass stool efficiently.

When is it taking too long?

If it’s taking you more than 15 minutes to poop, that’s too long, Dr. Jirik says. “A tell-tale sign you are sitting on the toilet much too long is experiencing some tingling in your legs, as the nerves are compressed on the seat,” she says. “However, if there is a need to repeatedly use the toilet throughout the day with a sense of incomplete evacuation or excess stools/diarrhea, this also contributes to the ‘too long’ time to be spending on the toilet.”

Prolonged pooping time can also affect circulation. Dr. Jirik says that sitting and straining can cause blood to pool in the pelvis, reducing blood flow to the heart. “[This] can not only aggravate or engorge hemorrhoids, but can cause patients to have a vasovagal response (a drop in heart rate and blood pressure).” This can be dangerous, especially in people with underlying heart conditions.

When you’re constipated, excessive straining to poop can also weaken your pelvic floor muscles over time, potentially leading to further GI issues. In addition to hard, difficult-to-pass stools, constipation often causes symptoms like bloating, stomach problems, and gas.

When to talk to a doctor

Everyone’s pooping habits vary based on their body, diet, stress levels, schedule, activity level, and more. So, it’s essential to understand what’s “normal” for you—and if something feels off, Dr. Jirik advises checking in with your doctor.

She says any significant change in bowel habits, including taking longer than usual to poop, warrants a trip to your physician as soon as possible. This is especially true if you’re also experiencing:

• A change in stool thickness
• A sense of “incomplete evacuation”
• Abdominal and/or anorectal pain
• Rectal bleeding
• Weight loss
• Decreased appetite

“If patients have not had a recent colonoscopy, it is highly recommended they have one to ensure it is not colon cancer,” she adds.

Tips for healthier, faster poops

“Healthy bowel habits involve being well-tuned to one’s body and baseline habits and taking daily steps to ensure regularity and ease of passage,” Dr. Jirik says. These digestive health-promoting guidelines include:

• Staying well-hydrated
• Getting enough sleep
• Staying active
• Avoiding processed foods and alcohol
• Eating a well-rounded diet with plenty of fiber, fruits, and vegetables
• Go when you need to go—don’t hold in an urge to poop

“Having a fairly consistent regimen of waking up at the same time each day, followed by a light meal (with or without coffee), and avoiding rushing also helps to ‘wake up’ the GI tract,” she says.

If you’re having trouble pooping, squatting for a few seconds can better align your intestinal tract’s angle for a faster bowel movement. You could also try using a squat stool designed to fit around your toilet.

Dr. Jirik recommends avoiding distractions, too. “Although bringing in your phone, electronic device, or a magazine is tempting to provide ‘entertainment’ while sitting on the toilet, this is discouraged as it often inadvertently prolongs the time sitting on the toilet,” she explains. “The moment should be a quiet, peaceful, and relatively short one between you and your GI tract so you can move your bowels and then move on with your day!”

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