Lifestyle and bladder problems, with lifestyle expert Carolyn Sandry

Both men and women have a set of muscles deep within called the Pelvic Floor muscles and these muscles are important for bladder function and health as they support the bladder and internal organs and perform the role of holding your insides inside. In order to strengthen these muscles, first of all you have to find them. The muscles form a sling underneath you and when contracted, draw upwards. The front pelvic floor muscles and the ones you would use to try and stop yourself from peeing mid-flow, although we don’t recommend practicing this as it can lead to infection. The rear pelvic floor muscles are those you would use to try and stop yourself from passing wind. To strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, draw up from the back to the front as if drawing up an elevator shaft inside. Hold the elevator on the top floor and then slowly return back to the ground floor. As you progress, you can stop the elevator at level four and level seven on the way up and down, and also try to keep the elevator at the top floor for as long as possible. Start out with eight repetitions and build up to fifteen.

These exercises will strengthen your slow twitch muscles; the type which work to support your internal organs. You also have fast twitch muscles which work to stop you passing urine if you cough, sneeze or laugh. In order to strengthen these, you should perform that same lift but drawing up and in quickly, repeating from five to ten times and trying to build up to two sets of fifteen. Try to perform your exercises three times each day. They can be performed anytime, anyplace, anywhere and don’t worry if you find it challenging to begin with. Research suggests that persevering for three months or more will make a significant difference. Practice makes perfect.