How to Retrain Your Bladder

Do you feel like you're always rushing to the bathroom or leaking a little when you laugh or

sneeze? You're not alone, and the good news is, you can retrain your bladder. Just like you can train your muscles at the gym, you can train your bladder to work better. It’s not about strength, though it’s about timing, habits, and signals between your brain and your body.

Why Bladder Habits Matter

Bladder problems can look like:

• Peeing more than 8 times a day

• Rushing to the bathroom with strong, sudden urges

• Leaking pee when you cough, laugh, or jump

Some of this comes from habits your bladder has learned over time. For example, if you go “just in case” all day, your bladder starts to think it’s full way before it actually is. On the flip side, if you always hold it in too long, your brain might stop warning you when it’s time to go.

What’s Normal?

A healthy adult bladder:

• Holds about 16 ounces

• Sends the first urge when it’s about half full

• Empties in about 10–20 seconds

• Typically needs to go every 2–4 hours

So, if you’re peeing too often or hardly at all, your bladder may need some retraining.

How to Start Bladder Training

You don’t need to figure this all out alone. A pelvic floor physical therapist can guide you through it, but here are three simple steps to get started:

1. Keep a Bladder Diary Track your bathroom habits for a full day:

• What time you woke up and went to bed

• When you peed (and how much came out)

• If you leaked pee and how much

• What you ate and drank

• When you felt strong urges (like when getting home or going to bed)

This helps you (and your provider) find patterns and triggers.

2. Set a Bathroom Schedule

Once you know your current habits, set regular bathroom times. For example, go every hour at first — even if you don’t feel the urge. This helps “reset” your bladder’s clock.

Try following a set schedule for 4 days. Write down the exact times you use the bathroom and how much you pee each time (small, medium, or large amount). If you go outside of your planned times, just make a note of it.

Remember: your bladder is a muscle. It can stretch to hold more or contract to empty. Timed voiding helps your bladder slowly stretch so you can hold more urine between trips.

If you’re currently peeing less than every 2 hours, use these steps to help retrain your bladder:

1. When it’s time to go and you feel the urge, pause.

2. Take a few deep, slow belly breaths to calm your body.

3. Do a few quick pelvic floor squeezes (kegels), imagining lifting your pelvic muscles up.

4. Walk to the bathroom calmly — no rushing.

5. Remind yourself: I control my bladder, not the other way around.

If you get an urge/ void every…	GOAL: Go to the bathroom/void every….
10-15 minutes	30 minutes
15-30 minutes	45 minutes
30-45 minutes	60 minutes
45-60 minutes	1 hour 15 minutes
60 minutes - 1 hour 15 minutes	1 hour 30 minutes
1 hour 15 minutes - 1 hour 30 minutes	1 hour 45 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes - 1 hour 45 minutes	2 hours
1 hour 45 minutes - 2 hours	2 hours - 2 hours 30 minutes

Gradually lengthen the interval between voids by 15 minutes every few days if tolerated.

3. Slowly Increase Time Between Trips Little by little, stretch the time between bathroom visits. If you usually go every hour, try waiting an extra 5–10 minutes.

During that wait, try:

• Deep breathing

• Tightening and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles

Distraction (walk around, text a friend, make a grocery list etc.)

When Will You Notice a Change?

Most people see improvement in 6–12 weeks. It takes consistency, patience, and a little practice – but the results can be life-changing.

Bladder retraining isn’t one-size-fits-all, and that’s where pelvic floor physical therapy can make a big difference. A pelvic PT can help you figure out why your symptoms are happening and guide you through a plan that’s personalized for your body and lifestyle.

Need Help Getting Started?

You don’t have to do this alone. At Freya Wellness Co., we help people of all ages regain bladder control, reduce leakage, and feel more confident in their daily routines. Whether you’re postpartum, peri-menopausal, or just tired of planning your life around the nearest bathroom — we’re here to help. Call or text us at (305) 918-2631 to start regaining control of your bladder now!