But what are these habits that we are seemingly so unaware of? Let's take a look!
Bad Habit 1: Hovering When Peeing
Imagine for a second that you need to spend a penny while you are out and about. Public loos are often few and far apart, but they are also pretty grim. The temptation to hover over the seat is great, especially if they don't look like they've been cleaned for a while! The same goes for portaloos (oh, those outdoor events in the summer that bring the porta-fear to so many of us!) and well, really any lav that isn't our own can make us reluctant to not properly seat our bottom on the throne, so to speak.
However, hovering over public toilet seats might seem like a hygiene precaution, but it can strain the pelvic floor and bladder. When you hover, the pelvic muscles are not fully relaxed, leading to incomplete emptying of the bladder and over time, this can contribute to urinary retention and increase the risk of urinary tract infections.
How to break the habit
This is an easy one to break! Our tip is to simply line the toilet seat with loo roll - make a little bottom nest if you must! You can also consider carrying seat liners with you, or using a sanitiser to wipe the seat before you sit.
Bad Habit 2: Just-In-Case Pees
Were you often encouraged, as a child, to go for a 'just in case wee' before getting back into the car or setting off for a day out? If so, it's. likely that habit has stuck with you over the years, and you now find yourself going for a just in case pee before you set off on long journey or go somewhere without easy access to the loo.
However, this emptying your bladder "just in case" can disrupts the natural signal between the bladder and brain and far from being a safety measure for preventing those panic pees, it is in fact doing more harm than good. Frequent, unnecessary urination can weaken the bladder's ability to hold a normal amount of urine. This habit may contribute to an overactive bladder and, in severe cases, urinary incontinence.
How to break the habit
Rather than preemptively going to the loo, try to train your bladder to respond to your natural urge to pee for better bladder function. It won't always be easy, but planning in regular toilet stops at motorway services or public loos will help your brain to listen to the natural need of your bladder being full, rather than prompting the signal too early and before you actually need to go.
Bad Habit 3: Speed Peeing
How many times do we say to ourselves, "I just need a quick wee and then I'll do XYZ", and then we run to the toilet, push our pee out like a tsunami and race off to do whatever we are needed to do without a second thought to what it's doing to our bladder?
The truth is that rushing through loo breaks might save time, but it's detrimental to the bladder and urethra. Speed peeing can lead to incomplete emptying, as the muscles don't have sufficient time to contract and relax properly. This may also result in residual urine in the bladder, increasing the risk of infections and irritation.
How to break the habit
Take a pause - your bladder health deserves a moment! Ensure that when you pee you are using the correct posture with your elbows on knees, and take. your. time. Allow the pelvic floor muscles to work efficiently, take a deep breath so that your pelvic floor is fully relaxed and allow your pee to flow at a natural and not forced speed.
Bad Habit 4: Not Drinking Enough Water
If you are finding yourself dashing to the loo frequently we know it can feel like a sensible idea to reduce your fluid intake to manage the urges.
Paradoxically, not consuming enough fluids to avoid frequent bathroom visits can do more harm than good to your urinary system. In fact, not drinking enough water and allowing your body to dehyrdate can lead to concentrated urine, which irritates the bladder and urethra and can cause further issues with UTIs. Chronic dehydration can even contribute to constipation, putting additional pressure on the pelvic floor.
How to break the habit
It's important to strive for a balanced fluid intake and sip water throughout the day to maintain hydration in your body for good bladder health. Reduce dehydrating drinks such as alcohol and try to maintain a straw coloured pee, which is the optimum colour for good hydration.
