5 Ways to Improve Digestion (That Have Nothing to Do With Food)

The Seed Digest:

• For better digestion, start with what’s on your plate: Diet plays an outsized role in shaping digestive health and comfort.
• That said, the highly interconnected nature of the digestive system means that there are plenty of lifestyle habits that can help improve digestion, as well…
• Regulating sleep, reducing stress, walking after meals, taking a probiotic, and checking before flushing can all make a difference. 

Diet is considered the primary modifiable factor in digestive health. What goes in dictates what comes out—and what happens along the way.

But eating plenty of fiber and fermented foods isn’t the only way to support the mechanical and microbial engine that is your GI system. Consider these additional strategies for supporting digestive health beyond food, from regulating your sleep timing to exploring your local park:

1. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time.

Prioritizing a consistent sleep schedule (going to bed and waking up at the same time each day) isn’t just good sleep hygiene—it’s a powerful cue for your gut. 

Many organ systems in your body run on a daily circadian clock, shifting outputs gradually throughout a roughly 24-hour cycle. (Your blood pressure, for example, tends to dip during the night and be highest in the late afternoon.)¹ Your digestion is no different: The various stops along your digestive highway—from your stomach to your colon—depend on a strong circadian rhythm to function reliably.²

For example, early research suggests that circadian rhythm disruption is associated with an imbalance of the gut microbiome—which could pave the way to digestive discomforts (think: gas, bloating, and uncomfortable bathroom visits).³ Going to bed and waking up at the same time helps synchronize your internal circadian clock with external light-dark cycles, which benefits your gut health.

2. Take a probiotic with targeted strains for digestive health.

Regularly taking a probiotic can help fortify your gut with beneficial bacteria not commonly found in food. DS-01^® Daily Synbiotic is scientifically validated to deliver live and active bacterial strains to the gut microbiome, where they can interact with your resident microbes to confer health benefits to their host (that’s you!).* 

EXPLORE FURTHER: Seed vs. Other Probiotics for Gut Health: Why Science and Quality Matter

The microorganisms in DS-01^® have been scientifically validated to support gut-barrier integrity, provide relief from intermittent constipation, and help ease occasional bloating.*^4,5 Think: Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains that help strengthen the gut barrier so it can offer protection against pathogens and pro-inflammatory molecules.

The formula pays off in results you can feel (and see). As one Seed member, Lilliana, notes, “I really started to notice a difference in my regularity and bloating about 3 or 4 weeks into [taking DS-01^®], while I was on a girl’s trip… My energy levels were fantastic, my regularity was great, and everything just felt good.”

3. Build out your stress-management toolkit.

When your body perceives it’s in danger—whether from an actual threat or just a nerve-wracking work presentation—it shifts into fight or flight mode, triggering a cascade of physiological changes that downregulate digestion via the gut-brain axis. 

During the stress response, blood flow is redirected away from the gut, digestive activity is reduced, and your transit time may slow to a halt.^6,7 In essence, your digestive system hits pause so your body can deal with the perceived emergency. Over time, this can increase one’s risk of GI conditions and discomforts. 

But here’s the encouraging part: the gut-brain axis is bidirectional, so relieving stress can also have positive impacts on the gut. Something as simple as taking slow, deep breaths has been shown to quickly quell the stress response, potentially benefiting digestive health.⁸ And there’s compelling evidence that stress-reducing exercises like yoga, when practiced regularly over time, can ease GI symptoms.⁹

Beyond the tried-and-true practices like yoga, breathwork, and meditation, you can play around to find a stress management toolkit that works for you. (Check out some ideas from our Science Communications team below!)

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4. Take a 10-15-minute walk outside after meals.

Taking a walk outside after eating is a one-two punch for digestion: Walking for 10-15 minutes after meals can help move food through the digestive system more efficiently, staving off gas and bloating.^10,11 Doing so out in your local park or green space may deliver even more benefits, since engaging with nature has been shown to increase diversity (a key element of resilience) in the gut microbiome.¹² 

Beyond exposing us to a tapestry of commensal bacteria, spending time in natural environments is known to reduce psychological stress, further supporting gut health. It’s all connected!¹³

5. Always look before you flush.

You get a report card on your digestion at least three times a week (and some people get one up to three times a day). It’s sitting in your toilet bowl. 

Your stool can deliver valuable insights into how food is—or isn’t—moving through your digestive tract. Reference this guide to decoding your poop and identify what its shape, size, color, smell, and even buoyancy says about your digestive health, as well as how to take targeted action as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What helps digestion immediately after eating?

Going for a brief 10-15 minute walk can help kickstart the digestive process on a strong note. Walking can cause your abdominal muscles to contract, moving food through your digestive system and accelerating gastric emptying.¹⁰ And the internet doesn’t call them “fart walks” for nothing: There’s some evidence that a post-meal walk can reduce gas and bloating, too.¹¹

Is having good digestion genetic?

Some elements of digestive health are genetic. For example, your genes can influence your levels of certain digestive enzymes and help lay the foundations of your gut microbiota composition.^14,15 Genetic factors also play a role in your susceptibility to certain digestive diseases.¹⁶

That said, other elements of digestive health are within your control. Eating a gut-healthy diet, taking a high-quality probiotic, and following the aforementioned lifestyle practices—consistent sleep, physical activity, and stress management—all positively impact digestion, regardless of your starting point.

If you’ve made changes to improve digestive health and are still experiencing unexplained discomfort, schedule a visit with a doctor who can run clinical tests to rule out underlying issues.

The Key Insight

Regulating sleep, reducing stress, walking after eating, taking a probiotic, and looking before you flush are all ways to build digestive health and all that comes with it: Regular and comfortable bowel movements, minimal gas and bloating, steady energy levels, and stable and reliable hunger cues.