Try having fluids in the morning and afternoon, rather than right before bed, so you do not have to get up in the middle of the night to urinate. Keep in mind fluids come from beverages like water or milk as well as from foods like soup or broth.

Carry a water bottle around with you so you can sip water easily. Make sure you have water with each meal so you do not get dehydrated.

You should also stay away from carbonated drinks, such as soda or sparkling water, as they can irritate your bladder. [4] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source You can have small amounts of cranberry juice as part of your fluid intake, as it can help with urinary tract issues.

Avoid fast food and processed food. Try not to eat a lot of spicy foods, tomato-based foods, and chocolate, as they can irritate your bladder.

For example, you may write down, “9 am: first urination of the day” or “11:30 pm: woke up and got out of bed to urinate. ”

For example, if your average time between urination is 30 minutes, extend it to 45 minutes. If that feels like too much, you can also try a smaller increase, such as 5 minutes. Your doctor or urologist can help you make a schedule to extend urination, if needed.

If you get the urge to urinate but it is not the scheduled time, try to wait it out. Distract yourself by watching a tv show, talking to a friend, or reading a book. Try deep breathing or stretching to distract yourself. Avoid drinking coffee, alcohol, or tea, as they can irritate your bladder. Only sip small amounts of fluid so you do not have the overwhelming urge to urinate.

It may take time for your body to adjust to a regular urination schedule. Be patient and avoid urinating before the set time so your bladder can be effectively retrained.

Try doing a slow Kegel exercise, where you squeeze and hold for 5-10 seconds. Do 10 reps of Kegel exercises a day to strengthen your pelvic floor. Over time, you can increase your reps so you are doing 50-100 Kegel exercises a day.

Challenge yourself by sitting on the edge of the chair when you do this exercise, with your back away from the chair. This adjustment will strengthen your inner thigh and abdominal muscles. Having strong muscles in these areas can help you better control your bladder.

Make sure you inhale as you pulse down and exhale as you pulse up. Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles as you pulse up. Over time, you can try squatting with weights to strengthen your muscles. Use a barbell with weights or hold free weights in each hand as you squat. Squats are a great way to strengthen your inner thigh and glute muscles, which help you control your bladder muscles.

Work your way up to squeezing heavier weights so you can keep your pelvic floor muscles strong. Look for vaginal weights at your local health supply store or online. In women, doing Kegel exercises incorrectly or with too much force can actually cause vaginal muscles to over-tighten. This can cause pain during sexual intercourse. Consult your doctor for more information about doing Kegels correctly. [15] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source

You can also do biofeedback on yourself at home using a home device. Look for biofeedback devices at a medical supply store or online.

They may ask questions like, “How long have you had bladder control issues? How often do you leak urine during the day? Do you feel the urge to urinate before you urinate? Have you had any bladder control issues or urinary tract issues in the past?”

They may also do a urodynamic study or a uroflow to measure the pressure and pattern of your urine.

Your doctor may also recommend that you wear protective undergarments to make living with bladder control issues easier. If your bladder control issues are due to a blockage in your urinary tract, your doctor may suggest surgery to remove the blockage.