You’re chilling in bed after a long day, getting ready to drift off to dreamland, and then BAM! Before you know it, you rip a seismic fart loud enough to wake the neighbors—and smelly enough to wake anybody in a 50-foot radius.
Chances are this isn’t the first time you’ve experienced an evening fart attack. If you notice you’re extra gassy at night, it’s not a coincidence. The average person farts around 20 times per day, but the bulk of those tend to escape around bedtime.
Butt why do you fart so much at night?
It turns out there’s a scientific explanation behind your evening air biscuits. Keep reading to learn why you churn out more gas at night and how to keep it under control so you don’t do an accidental dutch oven after date night.
Why Do You Fart So Much at Night?
The main reason you rip more farts at night is because your anal sphincter muscle likes to relax along with the rest of your body. (For reference, that’s the ring of muscle that keeps your butthole shut). When your sphincter loosens, it’s easier for gas to escape.
Your digestive system plays a role in your nighttime flatulence too. At night, the bacteria in your gut has had all day to ferment your lunch and dinner. By bedtime, those fumes are ripe and ready to escape your b-hole as stinky farts.
And of course, you can’t ignore the link between food and farts. For most people, dinner is the biggest meal of the day. If you chow down on fart fuel like fatty meat and foods loaded with insoluble fiber, you’re creating the perfect storm for a late-night gas attack.
The good news is that nighttime gas is a totally normal bodily function, so don’t worry about your gut or butt malfunctioning. The only downside is that farting at night might interrupt your sleep due to the sound or smell (or both).
How to Stop Being So Gassy at Night
If you ask us, it’s better to rip ass at night instead of stinking up the office during the workday or forcing people to smell your gym farts. Nevertheless, if your goal is to have a fart-free evening, here are some tips to try.
1. Try a Low-FODMAP Diet
People swear by the low-FODMAP diet to fight GI symptoms like gas and bloating, particularly for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols (AKA poorly digested sugars).
Here are some examples of low-FODMAP foods:
- Vegetables: Eggplant, green beans, bok choy, bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, potato, tomato, zucchini
- Fruits: Cantaloupe, grapes, kiwi, oranges, pineapple
- Protein: Eggs, tofu, seafood, lean meat
- Bread: Corn flakes, oats, rice cakes, sourdough bread, wheat and rye bread
2. Keep a Consistent Eating Schedule
If you go all day without eating, then stuff your face with 3,000 calories’ worth of Chinese takeout, you’re gonna pay the price with a night full of horrendous farts.
Eating smaller, consistent meals throughout the day gives your gut a chance to break down your food more efficiently so your butt doesn’t turn into a wind machine in the evening.
3. Stay Hydrated
Water is like a magnet for fiber. When your body digests fiber, it absorbs fluids, helping it pass through your intestines more easily. But if you don’t drink enough water, you can end up constipated—and that’s a recipe for stinky farts.
4. Get Moving
Exercise helps you poop more and fart less—it’s just science. When crap is trapped in your gut, it produces methane gas, resulting in nasty farts at night. However, daily exercise keeps you regular so your poop escapes when it’s supposed to.
Do You Fart More During Sleep?
Technically, you fart 24/7. So yes, farting while you sleep is inevitable, especially since your anal sphincter relaxes while your catching Zs. However, it’s unlikely that you fart more during your sleep than at any other time of day. The exception would be if you ate a super-high-fiber meal right before bed.
Why Are You So Gassy in the Morning?
There’s nothing more satisfying than starting the day with a long, loud fart in the morning, ideally while your emptying the tank in the bathroom. But if you’re feeling extra gassy in the A.M., there’s a scientific explanation for it.
When you sleep, your digestive system keeps working, breaking down food from the previous day. As this process continues overnight, gas builds up in your intestines. Plus, lying down means gravity isn’t helping move that gas along, so it accumulates and waits to be released when you get up and start moving around. That's why your morning routine often begins with a symphony of flatulence.
Another reason for morning gas is your gut’s natural rhythms. Overnight, your gut slows down, and when you wake up, it kicks back into gear, jumpstarting the process of pushing everything through your system. This sudden activity can lead to a release of built-up gas. Combine that with the fact that you might be swallowing air while you sleep (especially if you snore), and you've got a perfect recipe for a gassy morning.
Are You Prepared for a Shart Attack?
We love ripping ass at night as much as the next dude. It’s fun to push the limits of how long, loud, or smelly your farts can be. However, every fart you crank out carries a small risk of becoming a shart—AKA shitting your underwear. While rare, sharts are devastating, even in the comfort of your own home.
In the even of a shart attack, it’s important to stay calm, locate the nearest restroom, and clean your undercarriage with a DUDE Wipe. Avoid dry toilet paper at all costs, as it merely spreads the fecal matter around your butt instead of removing it.
So go ahead and fart to your heart’s content. Just make sure you’ve got wipes waiting in the wings in case of an emergency.
