Mindfulness meditation is a complementary therapy that may help improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is considered one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal (GI) related disorders worldwide, and IBS-C is one of the
IBS itself is thought to have a strong brain-gut connection, which means that everyday emotions such as stress may worsen your symptoms. To help manage stress and pain associated with IBS-C, you may have considered adding complementary therapies to your treatment plan.
One option is mindfulness meditation, a type of meditation practice that emphasizes mindful attention and awareness. This practice is sometimes used in structured stress reduction plans and as a part of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but it can also be used on its own.
Meditation is considered the most common complementary health practice in the United States, with up to
For IBS, researchers believe relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness meditation, may help reduce stress and improve symptoms. Reduced pain is another possibility with this practice.
Moreover, a 2022 review concluded that people with IBS who practiced mindfulness meditation had less pain and a better quality of life than those who did not engage in these practices.
If you’re curious about integrating mindfulness meditation into your IBS-C management plan, here’s how you can get started.
Mindfulness meditation is an accessible practice you can start at any time. However, when you’re using this practice to complement your IBS-C treatment plan, it can be helpful to set specific goals before you get started.
Ask yourself what you hope to achieve from mindfulness meditation for IBS-C. Some common goals of mindfulness meditation that may apply to chronic disease management include:
- reduced stress
- increased relaxation
- pain management
- awareness of the body
- depression management
- better sleep
You might also find it helpful to use the “SMART” method, which stands for goals that are:
- specific
- measurable
- attainable
- realistic
- time-bound
For example, you can commit to a daily mindfulness meditation practice for 5 minutes every morning. From there, you can gradually increase the amount of time or meditate more than once per day.
When you’re new to mindfulness meditation, it can be difficult to know how to get started. While it’s possible to learn this practice independently, you may find it helpful to work with a local meditation practitioner.
At the same time, you may also want guidance that’s more on-demand. In this case, you may consider trying different meditation apps. Many of them have free trials and different teachers, so you can experiment to see what works for you.
Examples include:
Mindfulness meditation is a practice of paying close attention to or being aware of what’s happening in the present without forming any judgments.
You can try different practices to achieve these basic principles. The first is breathwork, which may promote relaxation. Try paying attention to your breath and following it as it travels in and out of your body without trying to change it.
For stress management in particular, consider diaphragmatic breathing. Rather than following your natural breath, this technique asks you to slow your breath down. You can experiment with counting from 1 to 4 for each inhalation and exhalation. Pause before you exhale.
Another popular type of mindfulness meditation exercise is called a body scan. This works by visually scanning your body between your feet and head. Ideally, a body scan can be performed regularly throughout the day to build up your mindfulness technique over time.
Body scans may also help you notice how your IBS-C symptoms may change on either a short- or a long-term basis.
Short mindfulness meditation exercises not only work well with developing SMART goals for IBS-C management, but they can also increase the success of your practice.
The key is to start small and gradually increase the amount of time you spend in each meditation practice. Even starting for a few minutes at a time can help you establish a practice.
As you build confidence, you’ll likely stick with mindfulness meditation for IBS-C in the long term.
Many people who think about meditation might envision someone sitting cross-legged and upright on a cushion with their eyes closed, all with perfect body alignment.
These perceived rules can be restrictive for a beginner and perhaps create even more anxiety about the practice. More stress and anxiety will not help symptoms of IBS-C, and these can increase the likelihood of giving up.
When establishing a new mindfulness meditation practice for chronic disease management, it’s more important to find comfort rather than follow rules about perfect posture. For example, you can sit in a chair instead of on a cushion, or you can lie down.
As your practice grows, you may even consider trying out other techniques, such as meditating with your eyes partially open, standing, or even walking. The key is to gradually experiment with different techniques that you can try to work into your everyday life.
As your mindfulness meditation practice grows, you may find it helpful to track your progress.
Consider writing down the types of meditation you practice each day and their duration. Also, note how you felt after the practice, being as specific as possible.
For example, reduced stress or abdominal pain, less constipation, and better sleep are all details that can help you detect patterns.
It’s also helpful to write down other important information related to IBS-C, such as any symptoms you experience that day and how you feel mentally.
Whether you keep this information in a paper notebook or on a computer, consider bringing your log to your next doctor’s appointment. Your healthcare professional may be interested in seeing how mindfulness meditation might complement your current IBS-C treatment plan.
Rather than trying to achieve the “perfect” mindfulness meditation practice for IBS-C, you may find better success with a consistent practice.
This is similar to physical exercise. If you’ve ever tried a new workout program, you know that starting off small and staying consistent can lead to more effective long-term results than trying to get a “perfect” workout done once in a while. The same is true for any meditation practice.
Also, since IBS-C is a chronic condition, any positive benefits from mindfulness meditation are more likely to be felt with consistent practice rather than with just meditating once in a while.
With that said, just like a workout program, it’s common to have setbacks. The key is to be kind to yourself and to start again without beating yourself up.
While not a cure for IBS-C, mindfulness meditation can be integrated into your treatment plan as a complementary therapy. Few side effects are known, and you may benefit from reduced stress and pain.
The key to starting with mindfulness meditation is to begin with short daily practices. As you experiment with different formats, practices, and techniques, you can build your SMART goals and check your overall progress.
After you’ve established a regular meditation practice, continue logging your experiences. You can also consider sharing these with your healthcare professional.
