How To Stop Peeing So Much: Tips To Control Frequent Urination
Do you pee a lot? Do you worry that this might be a sign of something more serious, like diabetes or an infection?
It’s normal to urinate 7 or 8 times in 24 hours. If you’re going more than that and it is affecting your quality of life, there are things you can do about it.
Whether you suffer from overactive bladder syndrome (OAB), urinary incontinence (UI), or urge incontinence (UIO), we’ve got the tools to help stop the flow!
Overactive bladder: Overactive bladder is the medical term used to describe when your bladder muscle squeezes (contracts) too often or when it squeezes spontaneously without any warning. It’s caused by a problem with the nerves that control your bladder, and you can’t control it.
The most common symptoms are needing to go to the toilet urgently, often leaking before you get there, needing to go more than eight times a day, and having an urgent need to pass urine when you haven’t got time to get to the toilet.
The good news is that bladder symptoms are treatable. If you’re struggling with them, ask your doctor for help or visit our symptom checker today.
Urinary incontinence: Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control that causes urine leakage. It can be caused by a variety of things, from pregnancy and childbirth to infections, neurological conditions, and problems with your pelvic floor muscles. And even if you have never had children it’s not uncommon for women to experience UI in later life due to weaker pelvic floor muscles, heavier build-up of pelvic floor tissues, or as part of the aging process.
Urge incontinence: Urge incontinence is the most common form of urinary incontinence. It happens when an overactive bladder causes you to leak urine without warning.
If you have urge incontinence, you break into a sudden, intense desire to go to the toilet. The only way to stop yourself from leaking is by getting there quickly before it’s too late!
Big leaks: If you leak a lot of urine when you cough, laugh or sneeze, it’s known as an overactive bladder. It isn’t the same as stress incontinence (leaking when you exert pressure on your bladder) and is caused by an overactive bladder muscle that squeezes at the wrong time and sends urine where it’s not wanted.
How to stop peeing so much
Here are some tips to help you manage your overactive bladder:
1. Keep track – how often are you peeing? Remember that 7 or 8 times in 24 hours is normal, but if this is affecting your quality of life it’s worth trying to reduce these numbers.
2. Loosen up! – tight clothes and underwear will stop the flow. Try to avoid synthetic fibers when buying underwear – cotton is best for your delicate lady bits!
3. Go to the toilet before you go out – if you wait until you’ve left home, it’s too late and there will be little chance of getting there quickly enough. Go to the toilet straight after breakfast and dinner and try not to drink too much in-between times.
4. Take a look at your diet – avoid caffeine and fizzy drinks as these can irritate your bladder making you go more often. And make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
5. Try Kegel exercises – they work to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and can help you gain more control over your bladder. They’re easy to do – just flex as if you’re stopping the flow of urine, hold for a count of 10, and release. Repeat at least 10 times a day.
6. Use a pad or panty liner – they work really well to absorb any leaks before they happen. And don’t worry about looking unsightly – they’re a small price to pay for feeling fresh and dry.
7. Practice your breathing techniques – deep breaths help you relax which in turn stops the muscles from spasming and contracting involuntarily. Aim for slow, regular breathing with your tummy going out on the inhale and in on the exhale.
8. Try pelvic floor exercises – avoid squeezing your bum muscles at the same time as you’re flexing your pelvic floor. Doing this can put pressure on your bladder where you don’t want it, making you go even more!
9. Experiment with absorbency levels of pads or panty liners – thicker ones are more absorbent but can feel bulky. Thinner pads don’t absorb as much, but you may find that they’re more comfortable to wear.
10. Try changing your diet – cutting out caffeine and alcohol will help reduce the number of trips you make to the toilet. And if it makes you go less often at night, that’s 2 less times you’ll need to get up!
11. Pee when you feel the urge – don’t delay it (this means any holding on until you get home!). If you can take your mind off it for a while, all the better. Just relax and try not to think about needing the toilet. At first, this will be hard, but soon it’ll become second nature.
12. Buy incontinence pads – they’re absorbent diapers designed for women with heavy leaks or full bladders, which means you’ll feel dry and fresh all day long.
13. Get some exercise – it’s a great way to strengthen the pelvic floor and will help improve your bladder control. Try yoga or pilates, dancing or brisk walking, and start off slowly with just 5 minutes a day. Be careful not to overdo it as pushing yourself too far can make things worse.
14. Avoid caffeine and fizzy drinks – they irritate your bladder making you go more often. And make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
16. Avoid stress or anxiety – this often makes people ignore the urge to pee and means they’ll go more often. Relaxation techniques or meditation can help you to let go and stop worrying about accidents.
17. Keep busy – give yourself less time to think about needing the toilet by keeping your hands and mind occupied with work, hobbies, or shopping!
18. Don’t ignore it – if you feel like you need to go but keep putting it off, you’ll only make things worse so try to go as soon as you feel the first twinge.
19. Take your time – rushing around means more trips to the toilet and all that stress can make your bladder spasm putting pressure on your pelvic floor muscles. If you’ve been rushing, take a few minutes out to relax before you go.
20. Be aware of your bodywork on the connection between mind and bladder so that when you feel the need to go, you can get to a toilet quickly rather than ignoring it until you’re desperate. Don’t ignore the urge but don’t rush either!
21. Try pelvic floor exercises – tighten your pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds and relax, repeat 10 times. Aim to do this at least 3 times a day to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
22. Try Kegel balls – these are small weighted balls that you insert into your vagina before doing your usual activities to help strengthen the muscles. Inserting them can be tricky, but try smaller ones first and use lube to help them slide in. Keep them in place for as long as you can, and then remove and give your body a rest before using them again.
23. Try the pessary – this is a ‘J’ shaped device that fits inside your vagina to stop leaks or dribbles by holding your urethra open. It’s inserted by a doctor and can be removed at any time, so it doesn’t interrupt your usual activities.
24. Try the giggle ball – this is a small device worn inside your underwear that emits gentle electrical impulses to tighten and tone the pelvic floor muscles (just like doing kegel exercises but without effort). Like the pessary, it can be removed at any time and doesn’t affect your day-to-day activities.
25. Try the ring pessary – like a tampon, this device is inserted into your vagina but unlike a tampon, it creates a seal against the vaginal wall to stop leaks or dribbles. It can be removed at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I do Kegel exercises?
You can do them anywhere, anytime – no one will know you’re doing them! Try to repeat the exercise 10 times at a time. Don’t hold your breath while doing them and don’t tighten your stomach or buttock muscles. Aim to do the same number of sets and reps each day and build up gradually to three sets of 10.
What is the ring pessary?
It’s a ‘J’ shaped device that fits inside your vagina to stop leaks or dribbles by holding your urethra open. It’s inserted by a doctor and can be removed at any time, so it doesn’t interrupt your usual activities.
What is the giggle ball?
It’s a small device worn inside your underwear that emits gentle electrical impulses to tighten and tone the pelvic floor muscles (just like doing kegel exercises but without effort). Like the pessary, it can be removed at any time and doesn’t affect your day-to-day activities.
How do Kegel exercises help me to stop peeing so much?
Kegel exercises improve the strength of pelvic floor muscles which help control bladder and bowel function, as well as sex. Your pelvic floor muscles can become weak during pregnancy and childbirth or just from normal aging. Weak pelvic floor muscles put extra pressure on the bladder and mean you have to pee more often. The pelvic floor exercises will help strengthen these muscles and cut down on your trips to the loo!
What are pelvic floor exercises?
They’re the best-kept secret of celebrities everywhere! A set of simple exercises that strengthen the muscles that hold up your bladder and help you to stop peeing so much. You can do them anywhere, anytime – no one will know you’re doing them! Simply tighten your pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds and relax, repeat 10 times. Aim to do this at least 3 times a day to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
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