@Mya Your exercise and eating habits, age, gender, and health status all affect the number of bowel movements you experience in a given day. While there is no set number of bowel movements a person should have, it’s abnormal and possibly dangerous to go three or fewer times per week.

Often, constipation causes bowel movements that are not only infrequent, but also hard and difficult to pass. This leads to excessive straining and time spent on the toilet.

The causes of constipation vary. The condition may simply be due to such as things as dehydration or eating foods with too little fiber. In other, more serious cases, constipation can be the result of stress, hormonal changes, spinal injuries, muscle problems, cancers, and other structural problems affecting the digestive tract.