How to Strengthen Your Bladder and Regain Control

If you’re constantly planning your day around toilets or experiencing leaks when laughing, sneezing, or lifting objects, you’re not alone. Luckily, there are often ways to manage these issues, so if you're wondering how to improve bladder control, the solutions may be simpler than you might think.

You can often begin to turn things around by improving the function of those pelvic floor muscles with some simple moves. Add in a few healthy habits, and you’re on your way to a bladder that listens to you, not the other way around. And if that doesn't provide enough improvement, we also outline other potential solutions that may help you regain control.

Let’s talk through what works, but first, let's see the potential reasons behind those unexpected leaks.

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

There are two main types of urinary incontinence:

• Stress incontinence: When movement or physical pressure, like coughing, laughing, or lifting, causes a leak.

• Urge incontinence: When you experience a sudden, strong urge to urinate that is difficult to defer, sometimes leading to leakage before reaching the toilet.

Overactive bladder (OAB)

OAB is a group of symptoms that can include:

• A sudden, strong urge to pee (called urgency)

• Peeing often (frequency- generally more than 8 times a day)

• Waking at night to pee (nocturia - usually defined as more than one time per night)

You can have OAB without incontinence, just experiencing urgency and frequency. Urge incontinence is a symptom that can happen because of OAB.

Plenty of women experience one or more of these symptoms. And there are plenty of possible causes, such as changes related to childbirth, obesity, neurological conditions, or changes associated with ageing. Either way, there’s support and things you can do.

Start With the Simple Stuff

Before you dive into exercises or talk medication, there are small daily changes that can help support your urinary system:

• Consider reducing caffeine and alcohol - they can irritate the bladder and increase the urge to pee in some individuals.

• Don’t overdo fluids - and don’t underdo them either. Sip regularly to maintain adequate hydration, and perhaps consider easing off in the evening if nights are a problem.

• Eat bladder-friendly - some people find it helpful to avoid potential irritants like very spicy foods, citrus and tomatoes. Artificial sweeteners and caffeine can also be a factor for some. Also, avoid constipation by eating a good amount of fibre as a full bowel can put pressure on the bladder.

• Move your body - walking, dancing, gardening… anything that gets you moving can help with managing urinary incontinence symptoms, partly by aiding weight management and preventing constipation.

• Lose a bit of weight, if this is appropriate for you - less pressure on your bladder and pelvic floor means potentially fewer accidents.

• Quit smoking - if you smoke, that ongoing cough can strain your pelvic floor. It’s also linked to bladder irritation.

Work Your Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor muscles sit like a hammock underneath your bladder, bowel, and uterus. When they’re strong and functioning well, they help you hold in urine. When they’re not, leaks are more likely to occur. One way to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles is to do specific exercises.

Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels)

They’re simple in concept. Here’s the gist:

• Squeeze the muscles you’d use to stop passing urine mid-flow.

• Hold for 3–5 seconds.

• Relax completely.

• Repeat 8–10 times, aiming for 3 times a day.

You can also try “The Knack” technique: Do a quick Kegel right before coughing, sneezing, or lifting to provide extra support.

The best part is that you don’t need to drop everything and lie on the floor to do pelvic floor muscle training. You can do them at your desk, on a walk, or while in the queue at Tesco. However, it takes some consistency to work, so you’ll need to stick with it for a few months before you start seeing results. It is important to ensure you are contracting the correct muscles and not straining, that’s why it is often essential to seek advice from a pelvic floor physiotherapist to get personalised advice and support.

Tools to improve your Kegel exercises

These tools may be used to support Kegel exercises (often with professional guidance)

• Vaginal cones - small weights you hold in with your muscles.

• Biofeedback - sensors that can help show how well you’re squeezing.

• Electrical stimulation - a gentle current that may be used to help trigger contractions if your muscles are struggling to fire up on their own.

Not sure you’re working the right muscles?

For Kegel exercises to work, you need to activate the right muscles, not your glutes or abs. A pelvic floor physiotherapist can assess your technique and provide personalised guidance. Here's a more in-depth guide for pelvic floor exercises.

Bladder Training

Bladder training means teaching your bladder to wait a little longer before going. This one’s especially helpful for urge incontinence or an overactive bladder as it aims to increase the amount of urine the bladder can comfortably hold and improve your control over the urge to void. You should only consider bladder training with the support and guidance of a healthcare professional.

They will teach you to start by tracking your trips to the loo for a few days. Keep a bladder diary, noting when you go and how often.

Then they will ask you to try gently stretching out the time between pees, aiming for just a few minutes more each time. It might feel uncomfortable at first, and it requires patience, but the idea is to gradually build your bladder’s functional capacity over time.

Another thing you can try is distraction techniques (like slow breathing or staying still) or a quick pelvic floor squeeze to help hold off the urge.

You Don’t Have to Do This on Your Own

If you're not sure you're doing it right or can use some support on your side, there are professionals who can help you.

NHS incontinence services

There are clinics across the UK with specialist nurses and physios who can assess what’s going on and help build a plan. You can get referred by your GP or, in some areas, refer yourself.

Physical therapists

A pelvic floor physiotherapist can offer a tailored pelvic floor therapy program specifically for your symptoms and lifestyle and ensure correct technique and progression.

In the meantime, products can help

Whether you’re waiting for treatment or working on your pelvic floor muscles, you don’t have to put up with leaks. Products such as Jude’s range of discreet pads and leak-proof pants for women can help provide confidence. There are also handheld urinals, vaginal or urethral support devices, and catheters (use of which should be only if advised by a professional).

When Lifestyle and Exercise Aren’t Enough

Sometimes, leaks need more support. You might be doing everything right, like cutting out caffeine, doing pelvic floor exercises, and keeping up your bladder diary, and still feel like your bladder’s not getting the message. That’s when it’s worth speaking to your GP about medical options.

Medications

For stress incontinence

In some cases, the medication duloxetine may be considered. It can help tighten the muscles around your urethra. It’s not suitable for everyone, and it can come with side effects like nausea or fatigue, but for some women, it can reduce leaks without needing surgery.

For urge incontinence or OAB

Antimuscarinics (such as oxybutynin, tolterodine, or darifenacin) work by calming bladder spasms. They can cause dry mouth or constipation in some cases, so your GP will help you evaluate the potential benefits and risks. Another class of medication is beta-3 agonists (like mirabegron, once again, your GP can help advise you on its suitability.

For frequent night time peeing (nocturia)

A low dose of desmopressin can help reduce how much urine your body makes at night in specific cases. In some cases, your doctor might suggest a loop diuretic earlier in the day to shift fluid output to the afternoon instead of the middle of the night.

Your GP will help decide what’s best for your body, discuss potential side effects and check in regularly to see how it’s going.

Injections and procedures

If medication doesn’t work or if you’d rather avoid daily tablets, there are other medical options:

• Botox injected into the bladder lining can help calm an overactive bladder by reducing involuntary contractions. Effects are not permanent and require repeat injections.

• Urethral bulking agents can be injected around the urethra to help it stay closed and prevent leaks in cases of stress incontinence.

• Sling surgery or artificial sphincters are surgical options for more severe or persistent stress incontinence when conservative measures haven’t been sufficient.

Talk to your GP about the options and what’s right for you, including potential benefits, side effects and follow-ups.

Don't Ignore the Red Flags

If you’re leaking urine along with pain, noticing blood in your pee, or feeling constantly unwell or experiencing unexplained fatigue, talk to your GP as soon as possible. These symptoms could mean something more serious is going on, so don’t wait and hope it’ll go away.

FAQ

Does holding pee strengthen the bladder?

Not in the way you might think. Randomly holding urine for long periods isn’t helpful and can potentially lead to problems. However, if you have been diagnosed with overactive bladder syndrome, then structured bladder training, or purposefully delaying a trip to the toilet by gradually increasing interval, can help improve your bladder’s functional capacity and your control over urgency.

The key is to have support and guidance from a healthcare professional and increase the time between pees gradually and comfortably, not to hold for hours uncomfortably.

This means implementing structured, incremental training rather than randomly "holding it" throughout the day.

At what age does the bladder weaken?

There’s no magic number, but bladder function can often start to change in your 40s or 50s, and those changes can become more noticeable after menopause for some women.

That said, it’s not just about age. Pregnancy, childbirth, being overweight, chronic constipation, and smoking can all affect your pelvic floor and bladder muscles at any age. Certain conditions, like multiple sclerosis or diabetes, can also play a part.

So yes, ageing can be a factor. But a “weak bladder” isn’t inevitable.

What is a superfood for bladder?

While there's no single "superfood" that guarantees a healthy bladder, a balanced diet focusing on certain nutrient-rich foods can help support overall bladder health. Here are some foods often considered bladder-friendly and which may improve bladder function.

Here are some top picks:

• Berries: Especially cranberries and blueberries are rich in antioxidants. Some evidence suggests cranberries may help prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall, potentially helping to reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in some individuals.

• Bananas: They are generally considered gentle on the bladder and contain potassium and fibre, which can help keep things moving if you’re prone to constipation.

• Leafy greens & cruciferous veggies: Think broccoli, cabbage, kale. These are full of fibre, vitamins, and are generally well-tolerated by the bladder.

• Pumpkin seeds: Some studies suggest potential benefits for bladder function.

• Yoghurt with live cultures: It contains probiotics, which support gut health and may indirectly support a healthy urinary tract microbiome.

There’s no need to overhaul your diet overnight. Just try swapping a few bladder irritants (like spicy foods, citrus, or caffeine) for these gentler options and see how your body responds.

You Don't Have to Plan Your Life Around Toilet Breaks

Bladder leaks can be exhausting, embarrassing, and isolating. But they’re also incredibly common, especially as we get older. The good news? Most cases can be improved, often significantly, and often without surgery or medication.

Remember, you don’t have to manage this on your own. Join our private Facebook group, Jude & Friends, where we come together to talk openly about anything, including bladder health, share experiences, and support each other through the ups and downs.