18 ways to reduce bloating: Quick tips and long-term relief

If your jeans feel personally offended by your stomach by 3 p.m., you’re not alone. Bloating is one of the most common digestive complaintsoften tied to gas, constipation, fluid retention, or food intolerances. The good news: a few simple tweaks can bring both quick bloating relief and long-term calm to your gut.

This guide walks you through 18 practical ways to reduce bloatingstarting with fast fixes you can try today, then zooming out to habits that keep your digestive system happier over time. We’ll also talk about when bloating might be a sign to call your doctor.

Important: This article is for general information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always talk with a healthcare professional about ongoing or severe symptoms.

What’s really going on when you’re bloated?

Most bloating comes from extra gas in your digestive tract or from your abdomen holding on to fluid or stool. Gas is created when you swallow air or when gut bacteria break down certain carbs you don’t fully digest. That can lead to:

• A tight, full, or “ballooned” feeling in your stomach
• Visible abdominal distension (your belly literally looks bigger)
• Cramping, pressure, or discomfort
• Lots of burping or gas (which, awkward or not, is normal)

Sometimes bloating is tied to food intolerances (like lactose or certain fermentable carbs), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or other digestive disorders. That’s why both quick relief and long-term detective work matter.

Quick ways to reduce bloating fast

1. Take a gentle walk

When you’re bloated, lying like a sea star on the couch is temptingbut movement actually helps. Light walking encourages your intestines to move gas and stool along, which can ease that tight, gassy feeling. Many digestive experts recommend gentle activity, including post-meal walks, as part of general gut health and gas management. Aim for 10–15 minutes after meals instead of an intense workout, which can sometimes make discomfort worse.

2. Loosen tight clothing and change positions

High-waisted jeans, shapewear, and tight belts can make bloating feel worse by compressing your abdomen. Loosen waistbands and try changing positionslying on your left side with your knees bent, gently hugging your knees toward your chest, or doing a slow “cat–cow” stretch can help gas move through.

3. Sip warm water or herbal tea

Hydration helps your digestive system move more smoothly, and warm fluids can feel especially soothing. Herbal teas like peppermint, chamomile, ginger, turmeric, or fennel may relax the digestive tract, support motility, and help gas pass more easily. Choose non-carbonated options and sip slowly rather than chugging.

Skip for now if: you have significant reflux or GERD; peppermint can sometimes worsen heartburn.

4. Try an over-the-counter anti-gas remedy (with caveats)

Simethicone-based products (often sold under names like Gas-X or Mylanta Gas) are commonly used for gas and bloating. They work by helping break up gas bubbles so they move more easily through the intestines. Research is limited, but they’re generally considered safe for occasional use when taken as directed.

Some people also try activated charcoal or digestive enzyme products; however, evidence is mixed, and charcoal can interfere with medication absorption. Always check labels and talk with a healthcare professional if you take other medications or have ongoing symptoms.

5. Ease up on carbonated drinks and gum

Carbonated drinks and beer bring extra gas (carbon dioxide) directly into your digestive tract. Chewing gum and sucking on hard candy make you swallow more air, especially if you’re talking or breathing through your mouth. If you’re feeling puffy and gassy, switch to still water or non-carbonated drinks and skip gum for the day.

6. Try a gentle belly massage

A light abdominal massage can sometimes help gas and stool move along. Start at the lower right side of your abdomen, move up toward your ribs, across to the left side, and down again in a clockwise circular pathfollowing the direction of your colon. Use gentle pressure; if anything feels sharp, intensely painful, or “wrong,” stop and get checked by a healthcare professional.

7. Do a short-term “low gas” food swap

On really gassy days, swapping a few common trigger foods for gentler options can give your gut a break. Foods high in certain fermentable carbs (often called FODMAPs) like beans, onions, garlic, some fruits, and wheat can be very bloating for some people, especially those with IBS. Choose simpler, low-FODMAP meals for a day or twothink rice, eggs, oatmeal, bananas, or grilled chicken with cooked carrots or zucchini.

8. Go easy on fiberfor the moment

Fiber is fantastic for long-term gut and heart health, but a sudden jump in fiber can cause gas and bloating while your microbiome adjusts. Experts recommend increasing fiber gradually and pairing it with plenty of fluids and movement. If you recently “fiber-bombed” your diet with huge salads, bran, or high-fiber bars, temporarily scaling back a bit may help your short-term bloating while you build up more slowly over time.

Long-term ways to prevent bloating in the first place

9. Eat more slowly and watch portions

Rushed meals + large portions = more swallowed air and more work for your gut. Eating more slowly, chewing thoroughly, and making meals relaxed rather than rushed can significantly reduce gas and bloating. Try:

• Putting your fork down between bites
• Aiming for at least 15–20 minutes per meal
• Stopping when you’re comfortably satisfied, not stuffed

10. Rethink your regular “gas bomb” foods

Some foods are nutritious but notorious for causing gas. Common culprits include beans, lentils, broccoli, cabbage, onions, carbonated drinks, and certain dairy products if you’re lactose intolerant. You don’t necessarily need to ban them foreverbut it helps to:

• Introduce them in small amounts and build up slowly
• Soak and rinse beans before cooking
• Try lactose-free dairy or lactase tablets if dairy triggers symptoms
• Notice which specific foods cause you the most trouble and adjust your routine accordingly

11. Balance your fiber intake the smart way

Most adults in the U.S. don’t reach the recommended 25 grams (women) to 38 grams (men) of fiber per day, but jumping from 5 grams to 30 overnight is a recipe for bloating. Aim to:

• Increase fiber slowly over weeks, not days
• Emphasize mostly soluble fiber (oats, chia, flax, beans in small portions, many fruits and cooked veggies), which tends to be gentlerespecially for people with IBS
• Drink enough water so fiber can do its job
• Limit “fiber-maxxing” with supplements or bars unless your healthcare provider recommends them

12. Support your gut microbiome

Your gut bacteria help digest food and produce gas; the balance of those microbes plays a big role in how bloated you feel. Fermented foods like yogurt with live cultures, kefir, and some kombucha provide beneficial bacteria, while high-fiber foods provide “prebiotics” that feed them. Introduce these foods gradually, and watch how you feeltoo much too fast can also cause temporary bloating.

13. Keep constipation under control

When stool hangs out in your colon for too long, it holds water, takes up space, and can trap gas behind itmajor bloating potential. Strategies that help most people include:

• Gradually increasing fiber intake
• Drinking enough fluids
• Regular physical activity

Digestive health organizations emphasize these as first-line steps for both constipation and gas management. If constipation is frequent, severe, or comes with pain or blood in the stool, see a healthcare professional.

14. Watch your salt and ultra-processed foods

Not all bloating is about gassometimes your body is holding on to extra fluid. High-sodium meals, especially from processed or restaurant foods, can lead to temporary water retention and abdominal puffiness. Shifting toward more home-cooked meals with whole ingredients and moderating salt intake can reduce “puffy” bloating over time.

15. Track hormonal patterns

Many women notice more bloating in the days before their period due to hormone and fluid shifts. Keeping a simple symptom diarytracking your cycle, meals, and bloatingcan reveal patterns. Knowing “this is my usual pre-period bloat” can make it less stressful, and you can plan ahead with lighter meals, extra hydration, and gentle movement during that time.

16. De-stress your gut–brain axis

Your brain and gut are in constant conversation. Stress, anxiety, and poor sleep can ramp up gut sensitivity, slow or speed motility, and worsen symptoms like bloating in conditions such as IBS and functional dyspepsia. Helpful habits include:

• Regular physical activity you enjoy
• Simple breathing exercises before meals
• Mind–body approaches like yoga, meditation, or guided relaxation
• Seeking support for anxiety or mood concerns when needed

17. Review your meds and underlying conditions

Some medications (like certain diabetes drugs, iron supplements, or antibiotics) and conditions (IBS, celiac disease, SIBO, functional dyspepsia, and others) are strongly associated with bloating. If your bloating started after a new medication or comes with other digestive changes, talk with your clinician. Never stop prescribed medications without medical guidance, but do ask, “Could this be contributing to my bloating, and are there alternatives?”

18. Know when bloating is a red flag

Most bloating is uncomfortable but harmless. However, major medical organizations recommend seeing a healthcare professional if bloating is persistent, severe, or comes with concerning symptoms like:​

• Unintentional weight loss
• Fever or night sweats
• Vomiting, especially if persistent
• Blood in stool or black, tarry stools
• Severe or worsening abdominal pain
• New bloating in midlife or later with no clear reason

These can signal issues like obstruction, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, or other serious conditions that need timely evaluation.

Putting it all together

There’s no single “magic anti-bloat food” or supplementbut there is a powerful combination: move your body, eat and drink in a way that respects your gut, manage stress, and pay attention to patterns. Over time, you’ll figure out which foods you tolerate best, which habits keep you feeling light, and which signals mean it’s time to call your doctor.

Think of bloating as feedback, not failure. Your digestive system is trying to tell you somethingthese 18 strategies help you listen, respond, and (with luck) give your waistband a break.

Real-life experiences: what living with bloating can look like

Bloating isn’t just a medical termit’s that moment your stomach decides to expand right before a big meeting, date, or long flight. Here are a few realistic “composite stories” that reflect what many people experience when they start using the kinds of strategies above.

“The 3 p.m. desk bloat”
Picture someone who grabs coffee and a muffin on the way to work, eats lunch at their desk in 8 minutes, then powers through the afternoon on carbonated energy drinks. By 3 p.m., their abdomen feels rock-hard and uncomfortable. Once they start small changeslike bringing a balanced lunch, drinking still water, and taking a 10-minute walk after eatingthe afternoon bloating slowly eases. The meals aren’t “perfect,” but the pace and portions make a huge difference.

The fiber overachiever
Another person decides to “get healthy” overnight: giant raw salads, a huge bowl of bran cereal, and a fiber bar on top. Their gut, understandably, protests. They feel more bloated than before and assume fiber “doesn’t agree” with them. When they switch to a gradual increaseoatmeal with fruit at breakfast, cooked vegetables instead of only raw, beans in small portions, plus good hydrationtheir digestive system adjusts. Over a few weeks, stools become more regular and bloating episodes less dramatic, instead of daily. This mirrors what dietitians describe when they caution against increasing fiber too quickly.

The “mystery bloating” detective
Someone else has bounced between eliminating entire food groups and trying every supplement they see online. Bloating seems random and stressful. When they finally sit down with a pattern-focused approachtracking meals, timing, stress, sleep, and menstrual cyclesa few trends appear: big, late-night meals, high-FODMAP foods at lunch, and bloating that reliably spikes in the week before their period. They work with a clinician to trial a structured low-FODMAP plan, then gradually reintroduce foods to see what truly matters. They also add gentle exercise and a consistent bedtime. Instead of guessing, they now have a map of what their gut actually responds to.

The “it was more than bloating” wake-up call
Finally, consider a person whose bloating arrives suddenly in midlife, feels different than their normal occasional gas, and comes with fatigue, changes in bowel habits, and clothes fitting tighter around the waist. They mention it at a routine checkup. Because persistent bloating can signal more serious conditions, their clinician orders tests. In this case, further evaluation finds a problem that benefits from early treatment. This story is a reminder: listening to your body and speaking up isn’t overreactingit’s smart.

Across all these experiences, a few themes repeat:

• Small changes add up. Slower meals, more movement, and targeted food tweaks often matter more than extreme diets.
• Your gut is individual. What bloats one person may be fine for another; tracking your own patterns is powerful.
• One-size-fits-all solutions are rare. Combining quick relief tools with longer-term lifestyle shifts works best for most people.
• Professional help is valuable. If bloating is frequent, severe, or worrying, a healthcare professional can help rule out serious causes and design a personalized plan.

With patience, curiosity, and a little humor, it’s possible to move from “Why does my belly hate me?” to “I understand what it needs”and that’s a huge win for comfort, confidence, and everyday life.