I’ve never given much thought to how much — or how little — clothing I wear while pooping. The idea of pooping naked is surprisingly divisive, though, with forums all over the internet full of comments about the practice. Apparently, it’s a big deal and a real relationship problem for some people. Men tend to poop naked more often than women, but that doesn’t mean the ladies abstain from pooping in the buff.
Ultimately, how you poop is up to you. If you’re like me and adopt a live-and-let poop mentality about others’ habits, you also may not have given it a thought. But, it turns out that pooping naked does have its benefits, from being more comfortable to possibly preventing yeast infections. You might want to give it a try.
1. Pooping naked makes you more comfortable
Perhaps the largest benefit to pooping naked — according to the people who take to the internet to discuss such things — is it’s more comfortable than pooping with clothes on. That makes sense. You don’t have to hold your shirt up, you don’t have to fuss with where your belt hangs, and you don’t have to worry about your pant legs dragging on the ground. And, if you tend to get overheated while pooping, removing your clothing might feel like a relief.
While some folks opt for only partial nudity while pooping at home by removing just their pants or just their shirt, others like to strip down completely when it’s poop time. If you’re new to naked pooping, start small and find out what degree of nakedness is most comfortable for you.
2. Pooping naked is cleaner
Although you wouldn’t want to strip down in a public restroom, pooping naked at home might keep some bathroom germs off your clothes. Like toilet paper, our clothing is porous and absorbent. That means that when you flush your toilet, aerated waste matter (a.k.a. toilet plume) sprays into the air and falls back down on the area around the porcelain throne.
When you’re fully dressed, that means your clothing is probably going to absorb some of that fecal matter flying through the air. For germaphobes, this is unacceptable.
3. Pooping naked is a great way to expand your naked routine
If you poop first thing in the morning — and you do it while naked — there’s a large chance that you sleep naked too. When you sleep naked, not only do you sleep better, but it can help boost your metabolism and increase circulation. That’s beneficial to all parts of your body and may help prep you for a quality naked poop when you wake up.
Plus, regularly running around your home in the buff is good for your self-confidence. There’s no reason you can’t just stay naked when you go to the bathroom.
4. Pooping naked helps you get back to nature
I’ve long since adopted the use of a Squatty Potty in my bathroom, no matter how much my family teases me about it. It’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever received, but squatting to poop isn’t as easy if you have a lot of clothing in the way. Even if you don’t use a stool or Squatty Potty to get back to pooping like our cave-dwelling ancestors did, removing your clothing means you can move around easier if you need to.
You can also lean forward a bit when you’re naked, to get into that beneficial forward fold position that helps open the anorectal angle and allow for better bowel movements. While squatting isn’t necessary for everyone, some doctors, like Dr. Rebekah Kim, a colorectal surgeon, suggest patients use a stool or a stack of telephone books to help reduce pressure while defecating and minimize the risk of hemorrhoids.
5. Pooping naked is healthier for you
If the thought of pooping naked makes you shudder, consider that it might be a healthier option for you. We now understand that tight clothing can be bad for your health, cutting off circulation and leading to numbness in the extremities.
Have you ever had your leg go to sleep while on the toilet? Your clothing may be a cause. Doctors warn against the trend of wearing too-tight clothing, which can lead to abdominal discomfort and adverse effects, like gas buildup or improper digestion. It stands to reason that tight clothing around your body may impair your ability to poop effectively.
If you’re prone to yeast infections, pooping naked — especially right before your shower — may help reduce their frequency. According to board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Jason James, it’s possible for candida to travel from your rectum to your vagina when you poop. Keeping the area as clean as possible can help prevent yeast infections.
No rule says you have to poop naked, but it turns out that it might be better for you in the long run. You might even find that it becomes your favorite way to poop.
Do you poop naked? We want to know!
— The Alternative Daily
