When your regular bowel movements are compromised due to various reasons like diet, hydration, or stress, it results in toxin build-up which can cause cognitive decline such as memory loss or slowed mental processing. 

Recurrent constipation can lead to haemorrhoids due to the strain during bowel movements. Haemorrhoids can cause pain and bleeding from the rectum, making it difficult for individuals to perform even their daily tasks.

The mind-gut relationship stems from the complex communication system between the gut and brain known as the gut-brain axis. Researchers have found that good bacteria in the gut can play a crucial role in producing key neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine (happy hormone), effectively making a second brain. An imbalance within the gut-brain axis could lead to mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.

By preventing the flushing out of toxins from the body, and hampering the nutrient absorption which is essential for optimal brain function, constipation may indirectly influence your mood swings and cognitive abilities. 

When you are regularly constipated, your body is taxed with the stress of repeated straining which in turn may reduce the production of serotonin levels in the body. This critically influences mood stability making you more prone to irritability, anxiety, depression, or just a general sense of malaise that isn't easily shaken off. The ripple effect continues when these negative moods impact how efficiently we perform tasks leading to reduced productivity. 

With inputs from Dr Sonal Anand, psychiatrist, at Wockhardt Hospitals Mira Road and Dr Meghraj Ingle, director and senior consultant of gastroenterology, at Global Hospitals Parel Mumbai.

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