Farting (also called flatulence) in the morning is a problem for many people. It might be a minor inconvenience or an embarrassing social gaffe, but it’s something that happens to most of us at some point.
Farting is a natural phenomenon that happens thanks to the bacteria contained in our gut. These bacteria are necessary in regulating our digestion and keep our immune system working.
One of their jobs is to ferment carbohydrates, which produce gas. This gas is then released progressively during the day, but it might also accumulate during our sleep. And then, in the morning, it gets released all at once. Which is what causes the issue.
In this article, we’ll discuss what causes morning farts and how you can fix them so you don’t have to worry about anyone else hearing your early morning gas!
Causes of the Morning Concert
Our gut houses many bacteria that regulate our digestion. These bacteria also have the job of fermenting carbohydrates, which produces gas. This gas is then slowly released throughout the day, but it can also accumulate in our system while we’re asleep and then be released in a big gust in the morning.
The morning can be a tricky time for people who fart excessively because of the social implications and in turn, it’s easier to feel embarrassed or self-conscious.
Farts are nothing more than a gas release from the digestive system through our anus. Most of the gas is made of digestive gases, and they’re all natural.
Let’s analyze the causes of the sudden release of these gases more in-depth.
Sleeping Position
If you sleep on your left side, you’re helping your body store up digestive gases. This happens because of gravity pushing the gas through the colon.
So, if you want to stop the nasty habit of farting in the morning, try changing your sleeping position. It’s by far the simplest fix you could try.
Sleeping on your stomach can also indirectly cause flatulence. Anything that puts a strain on your stomach is conductive to letting digestive gases accumulate in your digestive system.
Food
Certain types of food contribute greatly to the release of digestive gases. Everyone knows about the devastating effects of beans on flatulence, but there are more. If you want to avoid farting a lot in the morning, it’s best to avoid foods like broccoli, lentils, prunes, and cabbage.
Particularly, these foods take a lot of time for our stomach to digest. That’s not a problem per se, but not only more time there equals more time for the gas to build up, it also makes the smell more powerful. Which can make the atmosphere unpleasant when released at the wrong time.
Air
Air is supposed to be breathed, but it’s normal to swallow some while you’re eating or drinking. While these activities cause a minuscule, there are other that increase our air intake. Things like smoking and chewing guns are the biggest culprits of this.
All of the air you swallow has to be expelled eventually, and since it goes right into the stomach, it will mix with the gases in there, occupying more space, and increasing the amount of gases you release as a result.
Fart So Much in the Morning: Potential Fixes
While farting a lot in the morning is natural, it can lead to uncomfortable situations, especially if you don’t live alone.
One way to fix this problem is by drinking more water. This will help to flush the gas out of your system before it accumulates too much. Another potential remedy is to use an anti-gas pill like simethicone. These pills are available over-the-counter in drugstores and come with instructions that tell you when and how much to take.
If you’re already taking anti-gas medication, be sure that you’re doing so at the right time–antacids, for instance, should be taken after a meal while antidiarrheals should be taken right before you go to bed.
You might also want to take steps to avoid excessive gas in the first place. Pick up
So what can you do to fix them? Try these solutions:
- Cut down on sugar intake
One of the biggest culprits for gas buildup is sugar in our diet. So try cutting down on anything that contains added sweeteners, and also avoid whole milk and high-fructose corn syrup.
- Skip the beans
Beans contain a lot of insoluble fiber, which is difficult to digest, causing a buildup of gases. Eating other types of protein might help with this, like chicken, fish, or eggs.
Beans aren’t the only culprit for flatulence though. We made a list of foods that help cause it in the previous section, so make sure to check it out.
- Drink hibiscus tea
Hibiscus tea helps inhibit gastrointestinal muscle spasms and relaxes smooth muscles as well. It also has antioxidant properties that are great for your overall health!
- Eat smaller portions of food at night
Smaller portions of food at night help avoid any gastroesophageal reflux, or just eat breakfast because it’ll help you digest all that extra food you ate! Drink water before bed to ensure hydration and don’t drink other beverages like coffee and alcohol before snoozing off.
- Supplements
There are supplements you can take that help to relieve your intestine and stomach from the gases.
Antacids are usually taken after meal to help neutralize the acid. They help make your stomach feel more at ease with your food intake. You shouldn’t rely on them too much though, they are more of a temporary fix.
If the farting issue has only happened for a bit, and you think it’s unrelated to other health conditions, then go for them. But if you’ve had it for a long time, then look into the other solutions first.
Warning: If you’re already taking any medication for other health concerns, make sure they don’t interfere with your gas relief! Check in with a doctor or pharmacist and get clarification first.
Conclusions
While farting is a natural occurrence for our body, it can lead to embarrassing social situations. Especially in the morning, when our body has a lot of stored gas and needs to release it.
Farting isn’t a problem, and in fact, it’s something we do all the time to release gases that have accumulated in our body. The issue is when we start farting too much at the wrong time.
In this article you’ve learned the potential causes of morning farts, and ways to fix the issue. However, if you still have farting issues, then it’s best to consult a physician. There might be something wrong with your stomach. Digestive gases are harmless, but a high concentration of them could be a symptom of bigger issues.