- Weekend schedule shifts can disrupt your gut’s rhythm and cause constipation.
- Irregular sleep, changes in fiber intake and poor hydration make pooping harder.
- Keeping weekday habits on weekends supports regular bowel movements.
There’s a lot of structure naturally built into our weekdays. You likely have a set sleep schedule, eat meals at around the same time and maybe even squeeze in workouts between work and family obligations. The weekend? That’s when your routine gets turned upside-down. For many of us, that looks like eating out more often, staying up late, sleeping in and forgetting the trusty water bottle that keeps us company at our desk during the week.
We get it—after a busy workweek, a break from routine and a slower pace is much needed. But here’s the catch: your digestive system, which relies on your internal clock known as your circadian rhythm, doesn’t love sudden changes. Those weekend schedule shifts may be an overlooked factor behind sluggish digestion, making it harder to poop.
We spoke with dietitians to share which weekend habits may be to blame—and what to do instead.
1. Staying Up Late
Whether you’re out with friends or catching up on your favorite show, it can be tempting to stay up past your usual bedtime when you don’t have an early alarm set for the next morning. However, you may want to reconsider this habit. “Recent studies have shown that delayed bedtime (staying up later than usual) can disrupt our circadian rhythms, leading to a shorter total sleep duration and a subsequent state of sleep deprivation,” says Jenna Volpe, RDN, LD. Since gut motility is closely tied to the circadian rhythm, disruptions in sleep can throw off normal digestive patterns.
In addition, Volpe explains that not getting enough sleep may encourage unfavorable shifts in the gut microbiome, which can impact digestion and regularity.
Even though missing out on one or two nights of adequate sleep may not seem like a big deal, it doesn’t take much to disrupt the gut’s rhythm. “Sleep deprivation, even short-term, can lead to an uptick in stress hormones (via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) which puts us in a state of ‘fight or flight,’” says Volpe. This can suppress the body’s “rest and digest” response, potentially leading to slow or less efficient digestion.
2. Forgetting About Fiber
For many of us, our eating patterns on the weekend can look quite different from those of our weekdays. “Weekend versions of us might forget to eat fiber starting Friday and remember to bring it back in on Monday. This change to your diet can actually make it harder for you to poop because you’re throwing off your gut’s routine,” says Amanda Sauceda, M.S., RDN. “Your gut thrives on consistency, especially when it comes to fiber.”
Trying to make up for a low-fiber weekend by front-loading your week with high-fiber meals can backfire, too. “Too much fiber, too quickly can actually make you struggle to poop instead of making it easier to go,” Sauceda explains. To avoid big swings in your fiber intake, keeping some high-fiber snacks on hand can help you stay more consistent when you know your weekend meals may be lower in fiber.
3. Sleeping In
A morning routine can set the tone for the rest of your day—but on weekends, that rhythm often shifts when you sleep in. Just like staying up too late, sleeping well past your usual alarm can disrupt your circadian rhythm.
“Your body gets used to your morning routine, and in a healthy gut, tends to respond with a bowel movement 30 to 90 minutes after waking, especially when paired with eating,” explains Ashley Oswald, RDN, LD, IFNCP, CLT. “But when that morning cue shifts, colonic gut contractions may be weaker or delayed, allowing stool to sit longer in the colon, which contributes to harder or less frequent bowel movements on weekends,” she adds.
If you do want to sleep in, aim to go to bed and wake up within an hour of your usual schedule to help keep your circadian rhythm stable. For example, if you usually wake up at 6:30 a.m., try not to sleep past 7:30 a.m.
4. Eating Out
Socializing with friends and family often means dining out or ordering in. “Dining out on weekends is part of what makes weekends fun and enjoyable, but this habit may make it harder for people to poop,” says Volpe. “The food and drinks typically offered and ordered when dining out at restaurants, bars/taverns, dinner parties and coffee shops generally tend to be lower in fiber, a key dietary element needed for people to poop.”
That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy meals out—you may just need to be a bit more strategic to keep up with your fiber intake. Try choosing menu options that feature vegetables, salads, beans or whole grains. If that’s not possible, add more fiber to at-home meals and snacks to help balance your intake. High-fiber snack ideas include dried edamame, a fresh apple, air-popped popcorn and unsalted nuts.
5. Not Staying Hydrated
Staying hydrated is important for keeping your digestive system running smoothly. During the week, it may be easier to stay on track since having a water bottle at your desk can remind you to sip throughout the day. But on weekends, that water bottle might not follow you everywhere you go, making it easier to fall behind on hydration.
You may also drink more alcohol on the weekends, which can increase your risk of dehydration due to its diuretic effect. Binge drinking in particular has been linked with constipation, as alcohol can slow gut motility and lead to sluggish bowel movements. Together, dehydration and slow gut movement can make stools harder to pass.
To stay better hydrated, make it a habit to sip water regularly throughout the day and consider limiting your alcohol intake.
Our Expert Take
Your gut works on a 24-hour cycle, meaning it thrives on routine. While your weekday habits often follow a consistent schedule, weekends can disrupt that rhythm and lead to changes in bowel movements, including constipation. Irregular sleep patterns, eating out more and falling behind on hydration can all make it harder to poop.
To keep things running smoothly, dietitians recommend maintaining as much consistency as possible, including going to bed and waking at similar times, drinking enough fluids and eating a fiber-rich diet. While it’s nice to switch things up on the weekend, keeping some structure can help support a happy, healthy gut.
