You feel like your bladder leakage gets worse when you’re really stressed or anxious, but you’re not sure if it’s all in your head or not. We’re here to tell you that you’re not making things up: Stress, anxiety, and incontinence are totally connected. Let’s dive into the link between anxiety and frequent urination and explore how to address bladder leakage from both angles.
The Link Between Stress, Anxiety, and Incontinence
If you’re wondering whether or not stress and anxiety can make your incontinence worse, the answer is “yes.” That’s because being under stress, especially chronic stress, puts your body in fight-or-flight mode. One of the side effects of being in fight-or-flight mode is ongoing muscle contractions because your body is constantly ready to spring into action. Most people associate these muscle spasms with a sore neck and back, or maybe stomach cramps.
What you might know is that these muscle contractions affect the muscles that control your bladder, a.k.a. the pelvic floor muscles. When your muscles contract involuntarily, you can lose control of your bladder and potentially have an incontinence incident. The effect is heightened if you already have an overactive bladder or another condition that contributes to bladder leakage.
Stress also makes your entire gastrointestinal and urinary tracts more vulnerable to irritation and other health problems. When under stress, many people experience diarrhea, bloating, constipation, and other stomach issues. This can put pressure on your bladder and worsen the urge to urinate.
Living under stress also tends to lead to lifestyle changes that can worsen incontinence. For instance, when you’re stressed, you tend to drink more caffeine and alcohol, eat pre-packaged foods that can be heated quickly, skip working out, and get less sleep. All of these factors are known to contribute to incontinence and can make stress-induced bladder leakage worse.
If you are experiencing incontinence that is caused by stress and anxiety, you need to approach treatment from two angles: treating the incontinence and managing your stress.
Treating Your Incontinence
First of all, if you are experiencing incontinence, you should see your physician for a formal diagnosis as soon as possible. This is because bladder leakage can be caused by an underlying health condition, such as a urinary tract infection, that is unrelated to your stress. Treating the underlying condition is necessary for resolving the incontinence.
However, sometimes the incontinence is the problem, in which case your doctor will help you pinpoint the exact cause(s) and devise an appropriate course of treatment. Some things they may prescribe include incontinence medications, pelvic floor exercises, pelvic floor relaxation therapy, bladder training, double voiding, dietary changes, and more.
It often takes a combination of treatments to completely address your incontinence symptoms. You should also be aware that it takes time to see results from almost any treatment. For instance, incontinence medication takes up to 12 weeks to fully take effect, and any form of physical therapy takes weeks or months of consistent practice to achieve full results.
In the meantime, you can keep yourself dry and comfortable by wearing incontinence liners or briefs. These absorbent products soak up moisture in case of an accident, so you never have to worry about leaks or stains. They are a great short-term solution while you wait for your long-form treatments to take effect.
Managing Your Stress and Anxiety
Even if your doctor determines that your stress is caused by an underlying health condition, it’s still a great idea to work on your stress and anxiety. Thankfully, there are many different lifestyle changes that you can make to lower your stress.
One of the most important things you can do is minimize the source(s) of your stress. This means saying no to additional commitments, delegating when you can, and taking plenty of time for yourself to rest and relax. Spending time with friends and family who you genuinely enjoy being around can also reduce your stress a lot.
Cutting your alcohol and caffeine intake will also help manage your stress, and the stomach upset that comes along with it. Caffeine in particular is important to cut back on; your cortisol levels are already elevated when you become stressed, and caffeine makes them spike further, worsening your symptoms.
Dietary changes can also make a big difference. In general, you should eat a healthy diet that is rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. Limit your intake of foods high in sugar and salt as well as pre-packaged foods. Try to avoid foods that can irritate your stomach and bladder, such as spicy meals and citrus fruits.
Exercising is another lifestyle change that can greatly reduce stress. Experiment around to figure out what works for you; some people like a long and sweaty run, while others benefit from a gentle yoga session. You should also try other stress reduction techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation, to see if they work for you.
If you experience chronic anxiety, you may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy with a trained psychologist or counselor. Some people also see great relief from taking anti-anxiety medications prescribed by a psychiatrist. Both therapy and medication can make a huge difference in both your anxiety and your anxiety-related incontinence, so don’t hesitate to make an appointment if you think this could help you.
We hope this guide helped clarify the link between stress, anxiety, and incontinence and gave you some practical tips for treating all three. Again, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor for a diagnosis to get a clearer picture of the cause of your bladder leakage and the best way to treat it. You deserve to live a confident, leak-free life!