You probably already suspect this.
IBS doesn't just respond to food and stress. It can also change with the seasons.
As we head into fall and winter, constipation and bloating often get worse.
Colder weather means less physical activity, lower hydration, and heavier meals.
Mood changes from the shorter, darker days - like seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - can also trigger the gut-brain axis, increasing visceral sensitivity and disrupting digestion.
Summer heat and humidity can set off all IBS symptoms.
Warm weather increases dehydration, which can worsen constipation or, paradoxically, trigger diarrhea by disturbing your electrolyte balance.
People with IBS tend to have thermal hypersensitivity, or lower thresholds for heat induced pain. This can intensify gut spasms and discomfort even without extreme weather.
Heat also disrupts your daily routines, your sleep, and raises stress levels. These are all going to increase the risk of IBS flares.
Spring and fall are allergy seasons, and pollen exposure can trigger immune responses that affect digestion.
Histamine release during allergy season can set off bloating, cramps, or diarrhea.
And all of these seasonal shifts affect the gut-brain axis, which interconnects your digestion with your mood, stress levels, and central nervous system.
Changes in sleep habits, exposure to daylight, hormones like serotonin and cortisol that are affected by the atmosphere, and shifts in daily routines due to weather changes all influence how your gut behaves.
*So get your gut on its best behavior. *
Recognize your own seasonal patterns so you can plan ahead of the forecast and head off those IBS triggers.
And more about IBS…
You are not alone.
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XOXO
Heather
Heather Van Vorous
40+ years of IBS advocacy
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