Core Focus DPT

Retrain your bladder habits and cultivate an environment of safety and security to keep your urinary system healthy. With greater control over your bladder, you’ll reclaim the precious gift of time and live life on your own terms.

And when you can keep your urinary system healthy, you will no longer live with the fear of losing control and no longer live in shame, concealment, and avoidance.

Minding Your Pelvis

The following are my top nine methods to adopt mindful behavior for pelvic and bladder care so you can improve your pelvic health and combat urinary incontinence.

1. Separate bladder myth from reality

Identify bladder myths and find truths to help guide you to relief and increase mindful care of your bladder. You must be willing to unlearn behaviors ingrained in you from childhood or molded by societal expectations.

Understand these misconceptions, as they can hold you captive, and make a plan to overcome them.

For instance, remember when your parents urged you to empty your bladder “just in case” to avoid inconvenient pit stops on endless car rides? Or have you experienced the infamous teacher’s bladder, when you were expected to suppress your urge to pee and endure a day without relief?

These actions only nurture poor bladder behavior that lead to pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, and it’s time to break free from their grasp.

2. Identify your bladder triggers

Knowing your bladder’s triggers is key to reclaiming control and improving mindful care of your bladder. Research possible bladder irritants, where certain foods can provoke your bladder. Identify if caffeine, citrus juices, tomato-based products, or alcohol are your triggers.

These potential irritants may trick your bladder into running to the bathroom more frequently than necessary.

Take care and note that triggers are not solely physical. Psychology holds its own influence. The “key in lock” syndrome is a strong urge to relieve yourself that happens when inserting a key into the door. This learned behavior has woven itself into your daily habits.

Bladders, accustomed to rushing to the bathroom upon entering our homes, have come to anticipate this strong need. But don’t fret. As you understand this learned response, you can reclaim your independence. Learn new habits so that the bladder no longer controls your life.

3. Know how to release pelvic tension

Identify the activities contributing to increased tension in your pelvic floor muscles. For example, if you have endured the agony of painful sex, your pelvic floor muscles become instinctively rigid at the mere thought or preparation for intimacy.

In this case, seeking professional guidance to address your mental well-being may be necessary.

Pelvic tension can arise from various sources. Prolonged hours spent sitting in uncomfortable positions, the weight of work-related stress pressing upon you, or the continuous strain of suppressing the urge to relieve yourself can all contribute to this burdensome tension.

There are tools at your disposal to help you relax pelvic tension and increase mindful behavior for pelvic care of your pelvic floor muscles. Breathe deep for relaxation. Try yoga and indulge in the liberating stretches that help you to release tension.

Through these practices, you can gradually reduce pelvic tension and pave the way for freedom and healing.

4. Practice positive bladder habits

Let water be your primary source of hydration, as it is a powerful ally to nourish both body and spirit—so drink plentifully! Don’t think drinking less fluid in hopes of reducing trips to the bathroom will work.

The paradox is that by depriving yourself, your urine becomes concentrated, an alarm that rouses your bladder to empty itself more frequently.

Use mindful care and find equilibrium within your bladder’s rhythm. Do not let the fear of frequent urination prevent you from hydrating. It is a sign of balance and optimal function.

5. Be bladder conscious

When your bladder sends your brain a signal, grant it some peace and inhale deeply, connecting your pelvic floor with the rhythm of your breath. Pause and reflect upon your last visit to the realm of relief.

Within the span of 2 to 4 hours, gracefully make your way to the bathroom, honoring the call of your bladder with a calm stride.

Yet, if you recently answered nature’s call, you have a few options to explore. Engage in gentle breathing exercises, allowing the ebb and flow of your breath to guide you. Embrace this moment of introspection and seek to eliminate or diminish the urgency that lingers within.

With each mindful inhale and exhale, explore the possibility of reducing the intensity of your bladder’s plea.

And when the time is right, walk gently to the bathroom, knowing that you have harmonized with the needs of your body.

6. Create a bladder schedule

A well-crafted bladder schedule can help bring order to the rhythm of your body. Take up the task of tracking your eating and drinking and you’ll unlock the key to strategic restroom planning.

Observe your habits, and with this knowledge, ensure that you are within reach of a toilet when the time to relieve yourself approaches.

Be mindful of your bladder’s needs. By aligning your movements with your bodily functions, you reclaim control and stride with confidence.

Be the architect of your bladder schedule, mapping out the moments of difficulty and triumph. With this strategy, you will begin to understand your body’s calls at precisely the right time.

7. Wait for a full bladder

In an effort to improve mindful pelvic care, avoid the temptation to empty your bladder at every opportunity. In doing so, you risk inadvertently training your bladder to demand release even when it conflicts with your desires. Instead, strive for a delicate balance need and want.

Allow your bladder to gradually reach a state of near-fullness before venturing into the bathroom. Find solace in knowing that a healthy interval between visits can range from 2 to 4 hours, depending on the frequency and nature of your fluid intake.

Therefore, resist the urge to succumb to the call of urgency every five minutes, as it is not in alignment with the natural rhythm of your body.

Learn the discipline of timing and, with it, foster a relationship with your bladder. Grant it the opportunity to fill and reach an optimal threshold before you decide to empty. By doing so, you empower yourself to navigate the delicate dance of bodily needs.

Remember, the art lies not in hasty surrender but in attuning yourself to the cadence of your body’s signals. Embrace this knowledge, and reclaim mastery over the act of urination.

8. Practice breathing exercises

Harness the power of intentional breathing as it holds the key to the well-being of your pelvic floor. Be aware how you breathe can significantly impact the strength and stability of your pelvic foundation.

With each breath, the intricate dance between your respiratory system and pelvic floor unfolds as you learn how to keep your urinary system healthy.

Improper breathing patterns can exert undue pressure upon your pelvic floor, paving the path to weakness and urinary incontinence. Rapid, shallow breaths accompanied by anxiety can tighten the grip on your pelvic floor, giving rise to urinary troubles and pelvic pain.

So, practice deliberate, mindful breathing. Breathe deep, allowing your breath to flow steadily and rhythmically, infusing your entire being with calm. By harmonizing the ebb and flow of your breath with the needs of your pelvic floor, you unlock the gateway to strength and restoration.

9. Exercise pelvic care

Use the power of pelvic floor muscle training and exercise as the key to unlocking strength and control. Understand that specific exercises required shall be tailored to the unique condition of your pelvic floor.

However, in terms of prevention and overall well-being, engaging in general core strengthening exercises and adopting proper breathing techniques can also contribute to the harmony of your pelvic floor.

Take to heart the wisdom of how to keep your urinary system healthy with my nine strategies. With each step forward, you embark upon a path that leads to liberation and well-being. Practice mindful behavior for pelvic care, reclaim your power, and embrace the life you deserve.

Disclosures & Disclaimers

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** The views and opinions expressed on this site belong to Vigeo Ergo Consulting LLC. Any advice or suggestions offered herein are not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or other healthcare professional. My blogs are for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.