by Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN
You know the feeling. You get up in the morning, and you feel bloated. You eat something, and it feels like your stomach is distended, and your body is getting prepared to birth an alien. The feeling doesn’t go away, even after you’ve had a meal or two, and you can’t seem to make it go away by eating less or working out more. Nothing seems to be working on getting rid of this bloated look and feel.
Bloating is very uncomfortable, although bloat rarely signals something severe and typically goes away after a few hours. Still, it can make us feel terrible (even worse if you’re in swimwear or trying to look your best for a special event by wearing something fitted).
Luckily, you do not have to live with the discomfort forever. In this article, we have exposed some of the reasons why you may feel bloated so that you can find remedies to feel better.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor if you suffer from being bloated regularly.
8 Common Reasons Why You Always Feel Bloated
There are many reasons why you might feel bloated all the time, but if it’s happening regularly and causing discomfort, it’s important to get your doctor involved. It could be a symptom of something else going on with your health.
Below are eight common reasons why you always feel bloated.
1. Overeating
Overeating can cause bloating because it increases the amount of food in your digestive system. This can lead to more gas production and results in bloating. The excess gas will make you feel bloated as well as uncomfortable. If you want to avoid this, eat less and chew your food properly before swallowing it.
2. GI condition
Feeling bloated is a common symptom of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, giardiasis, and lactose intolerance. It can also be caused by taking certain medications such as antibiotics or diuretics.
If you feel bloated and it’s a regular daily occurrence, it’s important to see your doctor or a gastroenterologist so they can diagnose the underlying cause of the problem.
3. You consume bubbly or carbonated drinks
It’s no secret that carbonated beverages are more likely to cause you to feel bloated than drinks that are non-carbonated. This is because carbonation can irritate the stomach, leading to bloating.
The bubbles in carbonated drinks create pressure inside your digestive tract, which causes gas to build up in your intestines and stomach. This will make you feel bloated and uncomfortable within minutes of consuming the beverage.
4. A food intolerance
Generally, if someone feels bloated, it can be because of their food or water intake. But if you have not consumed too much, you may have eaten something that your system doesn’t tolerate well.
Certain food intolerances can cause the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to have a more challenging time than usual. If you have a food intolerance to gluten, lactose, or fructose, it can also cause bloating. This is because your body cannot digest these foods properly, and the undigested food gets trapped in the small intestine. This can lead to bloating, pain, and diarrhea.
5. Constipation
Constipation can make you feel bloated because it means that food isn’t passing through the bowel as quickly as it should be. This causes your bowel contents to become more solid and makes it harder for them to pass through your system.
When this happens, some of what passes through will be reabsorbed into your bloodstream instead of being excreted from your body like normal. Because of this, water retention occurs, which often results in excess gas production and bloating.
6. Eating too late
There is this old myth that says eating too close to bedtime can lead to weight gain, but that is not necessarily true. Consuming more calories than you burn causes weight gain. Still, eating a heavy meal right before bedtime can cause you to feel bloated overnight.
When we sleep, our digestive system is not as active as when we are awake, and being in a somewhat more dormant state can cause some discomfort during the night and in the morning when we wake up and are supposed to feel at our leanest.
7. Swallowing excess air
While some people do this on purpose (not advised), one of the most common causes of bloating is swallowing excess air during eating or drinking. When you swallow air, it can expand your stomach, causing it to bloat up like a balloon.
To prevent this from happening, you should take smaller bites and chew food thoroughly before swallowing it. You should also avoid drinking carbonated beverages or eating too quickly, which both cause you to swallow more air than usual.
8. Taking certain medications
Some drugs, such as those used to treat high blood pressure or acne, can cause bloating by stimulating fluid retention and swelling in the body. Other medications that can make you feel bloated include antibiotics and antidepressants.
