Everyone knows how uncomfortable holding pee is when there is no restroom. Luckily, you can do a few things to "hold it in" and lessen the discomfort. You can distract and refocus your thoughts, as well as make some physical adjustments to reduce discomfort. You can also train your bladder to hold urine for a long time. However, even if your bladder is trained, don't force yourself to hold it if you really need to pee. This can have an adverse effect on bladder and kidney health.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making Physical Adjustments
Step 1. Stay still so your body doesn't shake or vibrate
Moving too much can put pressure on the bladder and cause discomfort. Now is not the time to jog or practice dancing!
- Stay seated when you are sitting. If you are comfortable with your current position, stay there until you become uncomfortable and have to change positions.
- Do not change positions or make sudden and sudden movements.
- As much as possible, keep the movement smooth and gentle when walking or doing other activities.
Step 2. Limit the number of drinks you drink when you feel the urge to pee
Drink just enough to meet normal fluid requirements, but avoid unnecessary drinks. Otherwise, the bladder will be overburdened.
- The bladder in an average adult can only hold about 350-450 ml of urine comfortably.
- Don't avoid drinking altogether just to prevent the bladder from being full in the first place. Dehydration is a very real and very dangerous condition.
Step 3. Change the position of the body so that the bladder is not pressured
You may have to do this a few times while holding your pee. Different body positions can reduce pressure on the bladder, which makes it easier for you to hold urine. Try doing some of the things below:
- Sit up straight or lean back. Bending forward (especially if you're wearing tight pants) will put more pressure on your bladder.
- Cross your legs while standing. This makes you feel as if you are closing the urethra.
- Cross and lower your legs while sitting. This change in position can reduce pressure on the bladder.
- Lift your upper body and arch your back, but don't stretch your stomach as this can put pressure on your bladder.
Step 4. Exhale (fart), if you must
Gas that builds up in the intestines can put additional pressure on the bladder. Reduce the pressure by farting to provide comfort, and allow you to hold your pee for a longer time.
However, farting can also make you lose control of your bladder. So, don't use this method if you feel you can't hold your pee while farting
Step 5. Warm up and don't go into the water
As much as possible keep the body warm by covering it with a blanket, turning on the heating, or cuddling with your partner. Although there is no definite explanation for this, many people feel a strong urge to pee when they are cold.
- This phenomenon is called cold diuresis. There is also a similar condition called immersion diuresis (or cold immersion diuresis), which is a strong urge to pee after being immersed in cool or cold water.
- While cold water is the main culprit, taking a warm shower or getting into a hot tub can also trigger immersion diuresis. So you better not get into the water at all!
Step 6. Avoid relieving pressure by passing a small amount of urine
In most people, it is almost impossible to pass a small amount of urine and stop it right away. Instead of a small amount of urine that will come out, chances are that your pants will be soaking wet.
- If possible, find a way to urinate instead of holding it in. Find a hidden place outdoors if necessary, although this is more difficult if you're a girl.
- Holding your urine for long periods of time can weaken your bladder muscles and increase your risk of developing kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
Method 2 of 3: Refocusing or Distracting
Step 1. Do mindfulness exercises by shifting your focus to aspects other than what you are currently dealing with
Instead of just sitting there thinking about how much you need to pee, focus on your breath, or the warmth of the sun on your face or the ground beneath your feet. Transfer thoughts to the sounds of children playing in the next room, or the sights and sounds of bees buzzing among the flowers.
- Meditate, repeat a mantra, or try practicing deep breathing.
- Some people find it helpful to focus on the feeling of squeezing the muscle that surrounds the urethra (the opening through which urine exits the body). For others, this action can actually backfire!
Step 2. Divert attention by thinking about things that are not related to urination
Do whatever it takes to get rid of thoughts of peeing or going to the toilet! Trivial and even silly things might work. Try doing the following:
- Counts down from 99 many times.
- Read a poem or song lyric you've known since childhood.
- Say the full names of the people you know in the room, and give your own names to those you don't know.
- Give yourself directions on the way to your home, office, grocery store, and so on.
Step 3. Avoid thinking about waterfalls, water, or rain
It's not a good distraction when you're holding your pee! Unless you're very good at focusing your mind completely on something (such as a dripping faucet), your mind will no doubt imagine how much you want to empty your bladder.
Maybe your friends find it funny when they tease you with stories about rivers, waterfalls, and flushing toilets when they find out you're holding your pee. Try saying, “Hey, that's really funny. I get the point,” then change the subject. If they continue to tease you, leave the place quietly
Step 4. Avoid thinking funny things that can make you laugh
Laughter can make the muscles become tighter and put more pressure on the bladder. Alternatively, laughing can relax muscle tension and make you pass urine.
- Avoid friends and situations that make you laugh. Watch heavy drama, not funny comedy on television!
- If you often pass urine when you laugh even though your bladder isn't full, see a doctor. Maybe you have a condition called "laughter incontinence."
Method 3 of 3: Exercising the Bladder
Step 1. Keep a "pee diary" for about a week to keep track of your habits
For 3 to 7 days, keep track of when, what, and how much you drink, and when and how much you pee. After a few days, the pattern of your urinary habits will start to become clear.
Ideally, you should use a measuring container to measure how much urine you pass each time. Alternatively, you can estimate the amount of urine by categorizing it into "a lot", "average" and "little" categories
Step 2. Establish a comfortable urination schedule
After tracking the time you usually urinate, create a schedule based on this data. For starters, try setting a schedule that requires you to pee every 2 to 2.5 hours during the day.
- For example, schedule an "early pee" when you wake up (4:00 a.m.), then when you leave for work (6.30 a.m.), then when you're at work (9.00 a.m.), and so on.
- Try hard to always stick to the schedule. By waiting 5 to 15 minutes, you can help stretch your bladder. Over time, you will be able to retain more urine. However, if you really can't hold your pee, just do it.
Step 3. Increase urination time slowly
If you start by urinating every 2 hours, increase the gap to 2.25 hours the following week, then 2.5 hours the following week. The end goal you should achieve is to pee every 3 to 4 hours.
While the average adult urinates every 3 to 4 hours, you may not be able to do this. Increase the time you pee slowly, and stop when you seem to have reached your limit
Step 4. Do Kegel exercises to strengthen your lower pelvic muscles
To do this, start urinating, then stop the flow of urine by tightening the muscles. This is the lower pelvic muscle. Now that you know how to tone your lower pelvic muscles, you can do Kegel exercises any time of day.
- Do Kegel exercises during commercial breaks on your favorite television show, sitting at your desk, lying down, or while refueling at a gas station. This exercise can be done almost any time.
- Try to do this exercise at least 3 times a day, and at least 3 to 4 days a week.
Step 5. Talk to your doctor about bladder control issues
If you have to urinate continuously despite efforts to exercise your bladder, see your doctor for a check-up. If you urinate frequently and it is urgent, you may have an overactive bladder or OAB (over-active bladder), and this is a medical condition that should be diagnosed by a doctor.
- OAB can usually be treated by changing a healthier lifestyle, such as improving diet, losing excess weight, quitting smoking, and possibly taking medication.
- Also, consult a doctor if you suffer from incontinence, which is passing urine when you don't intend to.
Warning
- If you urinate frequently or experience incontinence (unable to hold your urine), see a doctor. There are medications, exercises, and lifestyle changes you can make to control your bladder.
- Holding back urine can cause reflux (urine back into the kidneys), which can lead to a UTI (urinary tract infection) and damage the kidneys.
