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We rarely think about the dos and don’ts of going to the toilet, but research has found that several everyday habits can be harmful to bladder health – some of which we do without thinking.
In fact, things as simple as going for ‘just in case’ or rushed pees, or eating added sugar, can cause bladder issues. So, it’s worth considering what steps you could take to look after your bladder health in the long-term.
With this in mind, we’ve partnered with bladder care company, Jude, to explore seven habits that could be harming your bladder health.
Jude’s mission is to normalise discussions around bladder health and offer holistic solutions to help people thrive. Their Bladder Control Supplements are clinically proven to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles and improve symptoms of incontinence.
Rest Less members can enjoy an exclusive 22% off Jude’s Bladder Strength Supplement and save up to £15 on their first order using code LESS22. This offer is a single-use discount for new Jude customers only, valid until 31st December 2024.
1. Hovering over the toilet when you pee
You may feel inclined to hover over a public toilet seat if it’s particularly grubby or uninviting. But, despite our best intentions to keep things more hygienic, bladder health expert Jude tells us that this habit can be harmful to our bladder.
Pelvic muscles can’t relax properly when you hover, preventing your bladder from fully emptying. Over time, if done too often, this can lead to urinary retention (a condition that prevents you from emptying your bladder fully) and increase the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Hovering over the toilet seat can also strain your bladder and pelvic floor muscles, causing them to weaken.
Luckily, this habit is an easy one to break. Next time you’re using a public toilet, instead of hovering over the seat, simply line it with loo roll. To be extra hygienic, you could always carry seat liners with you or use a sanitizer to wipe the seat before you sit down. If you absolutely must hover, Jude advises leaning against a wall or door for support to help take some of the pressure off your pelvic floor.
2. Eating foods that irritate the bladder
Research shows that diet plays a key role in bladder health. On the one hand, there are foods and drinks that may irritate your bladder. This includes added sugar, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, citrus fruits, condiments, tomatoes, and caffeinated drinks.
Some people find that consuming these can exacerbate or cause symptoms of bladder irritation, such as urgently needing to pee, experiencing pain when peeing, or being unable to hold pee in. This can be particularly true for those with an overactive bladder. For example, in this study, 48% of people over 60 who experienced bladder overactivity consumed more than 300mg of caffeine a day.
Meanwhile, other foods have been found to boost bladder health – including fruit and vegetables with a high water content, such as melon and coconut, and fibre-rich foods like wholegrains, nuts, and seeds. Check out our article, What are the best and worst foods for bladder health? Plus 4 recipes to try, to learn more.
A simple and effective way to support your bladder health and get a dose of bladder-friendly nutrients is to take Jude’s Bladder Control Supplements. These supplements contain pumpkin seeds and soy phytoestrogen – two natural ingredients that’re clinically proven to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles and improve symptoms of incontinence.
Pumpkin seeds are packed with fibre, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, folate, phosphorous, omega-6, and vitamins A, B, E, C, and K; all of which have been proven to help improve symptoms of an overactive bladder. Plus, soy germ extract contains phytoestrogens, which help to keep the bladder, pelvic floor muscles, and urinary tract strong and healthy.
In Jude’s clinical trial, 9.2 out of 10 participants reported an improved quality of life after adding Bladder Control Supplements to their diet. Another independent trial found that a combination of pumpkin seed extract and soy germ extract improved symptoms of urinary incontinence – with 66% of participants reporting fewer daily leaks and 70% experiencing fewer nighttime bathroom visits.
3. Going for ‘just in case’ pees
In childhood, you may have been encouraged to go for ‘just in case’ pees. For example, before setting off on a long car journey. And because habits tend to stick, many of us may still do this.
However, research has found that this habit can do more harm than good because it interrupts the natural signals between your brain and bladder. Usually, when your bladder is over half full, it notifies the brain, which sends a signal back to the bladder telling it to contract and relax the sphincter muscles, which allows you to pee with ease.
Peeing when your bladder isn’t full means these signals are never sent, which prevents muscles from contracting fully and trains the bladder to empty at smaller volumes. Over time, this can affect your ability to hold a normal amount of urine and may contribute to an overactive bladder. In severe cases, it can lead to urinary incontinence.
Plus, because your bladder is unable to contract properly, going for ‘just in case’ pees means that you have to force urine out, which further weakens the pelvic floor muscles.
To break this habit, Jude advises training your bladder to recognise and respond to your natural urge to pee instead of preemptively using the toilet. This might take some practise, but over time your brain will become attuned to waiting for the natural need to pee, rather than prompting the signal before you actually need to go.
4. Rushing your pee
Peeing should feel seamless, without a need to contract or strain muscles to force urine out. However, many of us feel tempted to push pee out as quickly as possible when we’re short on time.
But, Jude warns that speed peeing can harm your bladder health because it unintentionally activates the pelvic floor muscles when, in reality, they should be relaxed. Over time, this can prevent your bladder from emptying fully, which can increase the risk of bladder irritation and infections.
To avoid rushing your pee, Jude advises improving your peeing posture, taking a deep breath, allowing your pelvic floor to relax, and letting the pee flow at a natural speed.
5. Holding your pee in
Just as much as peeing too often can negatively impact bladder health, so can holding it in for too long.
We all have to hold it in from time to time – for example, during a long journey or when you can’t find a public bathroom while out and about. However, though holding in your pee occasionally is unlikely to cause any issues, frequently resisting the urge to go to the toilet can become problematic.
Aside from being uncomfortable, holding pee in for too long places extra stress on your pelvic floor, which can weaken it over time. According to Jude, when urine sits in the urinary tract for too long, bacteria begin to settle and multiply, which can lead to infection and increase your risk of UTIs.
Note: Jude’s experts advise that the only time it’s okay to intentionally hold in your pee is if you’re retraining your bladder to treat incontinence. However, this should be done under the supervision of a doctor or pelvic floor specialist.
6. Smoking
Most people associate smoking with a higher risk of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases, but smoking can damage other major organs too – including your bladder.
In fact, experts estimate that around half of all bladder cancer cases are caused by smoking; and your risk of bladder cancer is up to four times higher if you smoke compared to someone who’s never smoked.
The urinary system, which includes the kidneys, bladder, and urethra, serves as a filtering unit for the body, removing toxins and other waste products. This waste is eventually expelled from the body when you pee. However, until then, it sits in the bladder. If you smoke, this means that harmful toxins from cigarettes can end up sitting in your bladder for long periods of time and cause damage.
As a result, smoking is one of the most useful habits to break when it comes to bladder health. If you’d like support to help you quit smoking, visit the NHS’s stop smoking services.
7. Not drinking enough water
Not drinking enough water causes urine to become more concentrated, which, if left unchecked, can begin to cause bladder irritation and increase your risk of UTIs.
You’re also more likely to suffer from constipation if you’re dehydrated, which places additional pressure on the pelvic floor. Plus, similar to holding in pee for too long, not drinking enough water can cause bacteria in the urinary tract to multiply, again increasing your risk of UTIs.
The NHS advises drinking between one and a half to two litres of water a day – but you may need more depending on how active you are or how hot the weather is. Check out our articles, 10 tips for staying hydrated and why it’s important and 9 healthy and hydrating alternatives to water, for more ideas.
Final thoughts…
We don’t often think about our bladder health until something goes wrong, but research shows that taking simple steps, such as honouring the urge to pee and avoiding bladder irritants in your diet, can make all the difference.
For an extra boost, Jude’s Bladder Control Supplements are clinically proven to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles and improve symptoms of incontinence. Rest Less members can enjoy an exclusive 22% off Jude’s Bladder Strength Supplement and save up to £15 on their first order using code LESS22. This offer is a single-use discount for new Jude customers only, valid until 31st December 2024.
If you’d like to read more about improving your bladder health, Jude’s Bladder Care Handbook is worth downloading.
Alternatively, you might be interested in reading our articles that offer further tips for a healthy bladder.
What habits have you changed to look after your bladder health? Do you have any additional tips that you’d like to share? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.
