8 everyday habits that may be affecting your gut health

8 everyday habits that may be affecting your gut health

The gut is influenced by far more than what a person eats. Everyday behaviours, including how they eat, when they drink water, how often they snack and whether they respond to the body’s natural signals, may also shape digestive health. Some of these habits can seem harmless because their effects aren’t always immediate, making it hard to know when they may be contributing to digestive problems.

Dr Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist, recently highlighted eight habits he believes people should watch. In an Instagram post, he discussed behaviours ranging from eating while scrolling and skipping breakfast to frequently snacking, delaying bowel movements, and eating close to bedtime.

On breakfast and intermittent fasting, Dr Sethi said, “Random skipping spikes cortisol and kills gut motility by noon. That’s not fasting. That’s stress,” while on ending meals with something sweet, he warned, “You’re literally feeding the wrong gut bacteria. They grow. They win. They demand more sugar tomorrow.”

He also cautioned against casually taking ibuprofen and other NSAIDs, stating, “NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) silently erode your gut lining. No pain. No warning. Just damage – until there is.” On hydration, he said, “Your gut and kidneys need it all day. Night-loading does almost nothing.” He further warned that repeatedly ignoring the urge to use the toilet could have consequences: “Every time you delay, your gut learns to stop signalling. Do this enough, and chronic constipation is the result.”

According to Dr Sethi, constant snacking may also interfere with normal digestive processes because “Your gut has a self-cleaning cycle. It only runs when you’re not eating. You’re cancelling it every day.” He similarly cautioned against eating within an hour of going to bed, saying, “Food in the way shuts the whole process down.” Another habit he highlighted was eating while scrolling, which he said could cause people to miss their body’s fullness signals and “end up eating 30 percent more food every single time.”

While these claims may sound concerning, the effects of individual habits can vary from person to person, and some may require more nuance than social-media advice suggests. An expert can help separate established evidence from oversimplifications and explain which behaviours genuinely matter for gut health.

Habits with the strongest evidence

Kanikka Malhotra, Consultant Dietician & Diabetes Educator, tells indianexpress.com, “Among the eight habits, frequent NSAID use, delaying bowel movements, and eating close to bedtime have the strongest scientific backing. Regular use of painkillers like ibuprofen is well documented to damage the stomach lining and disrupt gut bacteria. Repeatedly ignoring the urge to pass stool can weaken the natural signalling between the bowel and brain over time, contributing to chronic constipation. Eating right before lying down encourages acid reflux by giving the stomach less time to empty.”

She adds that habits like distracted eating, sweet cravings after meals and constant snacking do affect digestion, but their impact is more gradual and adds up over time rather than causing immediate harm. “Drinking most water at night is often overstated as a major gut issue. It is more relevant to sleep quality due to frequent urination than to gut health itself. Overall, the habit list is broadly accurate, though some claims are presented as more urgent than the underlying evidence supports.”

Meal timing and skipping breakfast

Meal timing influences digestion mainly through the gut’s internal clock, Malhotra shares, which regulates enzyme release, motility and even which bacterial species are active at different times of day. Eating at consistent times supports smoother digestion and a more stable microbiome, while erratic patterns can disrupt this rhythm. Skipping breakfast is not inherently harmful for most healthy adults.

She notes, “The gut does not require food immediately upon waking, and many people digest well with their first meal later in the day. What matters more is overall eating consistency and not overcompensating with a very large or rushed meal afterward. However, skipping breakfast is different from structured intermittent fasting. True intermittent fasting involves a planned, consistent eating window designed with total calorie and nutrient intake in mind. Randomly skipping breakfast without structure often leads to erratic eating later, which can undermine the very digestive benefits that structured fasting aims to provide.”

When lifestyle changes are not enough

For someone following several of these habits, the most effective first steps are eating at roughly the same times each day, allowing a two- to three-hour gap between the last meal and bedtime, and responding promptly to the urge to pass stool rather than delaying it.

“Reducing NSAID use where possible, and eating meals without screens to support mindful digestion, can also make a meaningful difference within a few weeks. However, certain symptoms should not be managed through lifestyle changes alone. Persistent constipation lasting more than a few weeks, unexplained abdominal pain, reflux that occurs several times a week, ongoing bloating, or any noticeable change in bowel habits, including blood in stool or unintended weight loss, are warning signs that need medical evaluation. These symptoms can indicate underlying conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers or inflammatory bowel disease, which require proper diagnosis rather than dietary adjustment alone,” concludes Malhotra.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.