If, like Sophie, you’re not worried about something unusual but are just annoyed at the discomfort that comes when you sometimes skip a day’s poo, here are four things that might be causing your day-of-the-week poo problems.

Four reasons your poo habits change

Location

In a poll of 2,000 people by The Gut Stuff, 18% said their most pressing back-to-office concern was going to the loo at work. And it’s true that the thought of your CEO walking in after you and smelling anything that lingered is pretty off-putting.

But holding it in – even if it’s just for an hour until everyone else pops out for lunch – can have ramifications. As it sits in your body, the lower intestine absorbs water from the stool which makes it hard and more difficult to pass, which can result in constipation.

Even if you’re not bothered about the boss, hybrid working can cause changes to our routines that might make you less sensitive to what your body is saying. Take the days you’re at home: maybe you wake up slowly, walk around the house, have a coffee or tea and go to the bathroom. When you have to jump out of bed and commute to the office, you’re probably not giving your body much time to relax and release a stool. It might be that your body is too much in go-go-go mode to actually go.

How your bowel habits change during the week compared to the weekend