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The ultimate list of hacks, tips, and tricks that’ll ease the urge to urinate
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Nothing’s scarier than feeling nature’s call when you’re nowhere near a bathroom, but just know that you will get through this. There are plenty of ways to distract yourself and keep your mind busy, and we’ve even got some tricks and hacks for you that will take some of that pain away and make it easier to pass time until you can get to a restroom. Here, we’ll break down everything you can do to make yourself comfy.
Ways to Hold in Your Pee
- Distract yourself.
- Do some mindfulness exercises.
- Avoid things that might remind you of water.
- Stay as still as you can.
- Cross your legs or lean back slightly.
- Tighten your pelvic floor muscles.
- Drink less fluids in the meantime.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionCan you train yourself to hold your pee?Dr. Allison Romero is a Pelvic Health Specialist, Physical Therapist, and the Owner of Reclaim Pelvic Therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over a decade of experience, Allison specializes in comprehensive pelvic physical therapy treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Sonoma State University and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California. Allison is a board certified Physical Therapist in California and is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association-Section on Women’s Health and the International Pelvic Pain Society.Doing Kegels exercises strengthens your pelvic floor and could help you hold your bladder better.
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QuestionI am travelling in a car with people I don't know for 6 hours. I am so worried about keeping asking them to stop for me to have a wee, what can I do?Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.Don't worry about asking the people you are riding with to stop frequently for you to use the bathroom. Your health and well-being should be your number one priority.
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QuestionWhy when you go pee it is dark yellow or light yellow?Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.The color of your urine depends on the level of hydration, as well as the function of your bladder and your kidneys. If your bladder and kidneys are working properly and you are well-hydrated, your urine will be lighter in color. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses of water a day for average level of activity and the color of your urine should be light straw color, which is considered the "normal" color of urine.
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Tips
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- If you are in a car, try to listen to music so it distracts you from your need to use the bathroom.
- Try rubbing the back of your thighs when you need to pee. It sounds crazy, but it works!
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References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279430/
- ↑ Allison Romero, PT, DPT. Pelvic Health Specialist. Expert Interview. 2 December 2020.
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/7064-bladder-control-issues
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4433320/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14248-overactive-bladder
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28673794/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5999241/
- ↑ https://www.lhsc.on.ca/women-s-health/timed-toileting-and-double-voiding
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14248-overactive-bladder
- ↑ https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/p/pelvic-floor-muscles
- ↑ https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/p/pelvic-floor-muscles
- ↑ Allison Romero, PT, DPT. Pelvic Health Specialist. Expert Interview. 2 December 2020.
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-should-you-pee/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/diagnosis/
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/overactivebladder.html
About This Article
Article Summary
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If you need to hold in pee when you can’t use the bathroom, try to make yourself as warm as possible by covering up with a blanket or sitting by a heater, since you'll feel the need to pee less when you're warm. You should also stay as still as possible, as movement can put pressure on your bladder. Instead of thinking about how much you need to use the toilet, try to focus on your breathing, which will help distract you. You can also repeat a mantra in your head or count backwards from 99 to keep your attention away from your bladder. For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to train your bladder so you can pee less often, read on!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 3,216,590 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I was in my bed and my sister was taking a bath (it takes her like 3 hours) she started and I thought she would be out quicker, so I drank a lot of water. I really needed to pee, so I was desperate. I looked this up and did this. It really helped. I still peed myself but I stayed a lot longer and now I know what to do." ..." more
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"I was in my bed and my sister was taking a bath (it takes her like 3 hours) she started and I thought she would be out quicker, so I drank a lot of water. I really needed to pee, so I was desperate. I looked this up and did this. It really helped. I still peed myself but I stayed a lot longer and now I know what to do."
..."
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"Often during school, my teachers don't let me leave to use the bathroom. From about 7th grade - freshman year of high school, I peed my pants almost weekly. After reading this, though, it has helped me hold my urine until class is dismissed, and I can usually make it to the bathroom."
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"I had to pee really badly, (I was on my period) and the teacher wouldn't let me. So I looked up this while we where supposed to do something else and it helped until the end of the hour. The teacher let us go (finally). An hour is like a semester in my school."
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"I was about to pee my pants but because I read this article instead of giving in to the urge to pee, I have learned how to hold in pee finally after 40 years. Thanks. You are not only a life saver, but you have helped reduce my embarrassment."
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"I had to pee like, really bad, and I couldn't hold it, so I read this and it really helped. Unfortunately I still wet myself in the end, but this helped so much, and I am totally going to use this for future reference. "
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