THE WAY WATER HELPS TO IMPROVE INCONTINENCE

Hydration is important. We think many people are aware we need to drink more water, but many don’t even realize they aren’t drinking as much as they should. Because of our line of work, we think we see this more often in our practices than not. Why? Well because if you are peeing your pants, the last thing you need is to drink more water right?

Wrong. 

First let’s talk about some “normal numbers”. As a disclaimer these numbers are slightly variable depending on many factors, but are used as a general rule to get started.

· You should be peeing 5-8 times a day.

· Your flow of urine should be about 6-16 seconds long, (on average somewhere between 8-10 is ideal) but this is flow dependent. This does not include your “morning pee”. That one can be longer.

· You should not be waking up in the middle of the night to pee, unless you are over the age of 55 and have experienced menopause. You are allowed to get up once if this is the case for you! If you are pregnant, we will let that slide too!

When these numbers are “off” and you either pee too frequently or you start to have 3 second pees more often than not, it can become problematic to bladder health. We start to train our bladder and brain to think that when it has 3 seconds worth of pee in it, that it is full. Yikes! Now, you’re peeing super often. This then perpetuates further because when urine becomes more concentrated it is actually an irritant to the bladder lining. So now, your bladder is irritated and wants you to empty so it can get rid of it! DOUBLE YIKES.

Of course then you decrease your water intake, because like geez, how can I be peeing so often?

But the actual answer to fix all of this is to: drink more water. 

But, how do I increase water intake?

1.     Change up your morning caffeine with another hot liquid. There are some cool herbal teas out there that our patients have really enjoyed. If you still love a cup of Joe, can you add in a glass of water instead of the second cup?

2.     Sip slowly over a long period of time. When we chug water, sometimes it is just too much for the body to handle so it “goes right through you”. Allow your body to adjust to the increase.

3.     Make it fun: add berries, lemon, cucumber, mint to your water. It might encourage you to drink a little more because it has some flavour to it.

4.     Invest in a good water bottle. If you can’t stand the taste of room temperature water, it would be worth getting a water bottle that keeps fluids cold for a long time.

5.     If you have a beverage or two (hint Friday wine) be diligent with your water intake. Your bladder will thank you but so will your head in the morning!

Now, over time pay attention to your urine colour. It should be closer to a light yellow colour. If you have a dark orangey-yellow colour, you need more water!

Don’t overdo it and go flat out drinking a ton of water. You will pee every 2 seconds, and it will decrease your motivation to hydrate!

If you notice a trend in your peeing habits (too long, too short, too frequent), see a pelvic floor physiotherapist. They can help you navigate how to change your bladder habits. It should never ruin your life.

Happy hydrating!