Have you ever enjoyed a glass (or three) of wine with your friends and felt the need to pop to the loo, fearing the infamous 'breaking the seal' moment? 

It's a common myth, but in reality, it's all about how alcohol affects your bladder. When you enjoy a few drinks, you might find yourself needing to pee more often, but it's not about when you first go - it's about the alcohol itself. Crossing your legs and ignoring that tingling feeling is what can  lead to health problems (more on this in a bit).

Now, while alcohol doesn't directly cause bladder leaks, it can exacerbate existing conditions like stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or an overactive bladder. Understanding this relationship is key to managing bladder health, especially if you enjoy a drink now and then.

Do you feel that drinking alcohol is affecting your day to day life? Are you waking up to find that you’ve wet the bed? Well, you’re not alone, it's a more common issue than you might think, and it's often linked to how alcohol affects your bladder and urinary habits.There are things you can do, such as speaking to your doctor, drinking in moderation, and using INNOVO to help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.

Alcohol Incontinence Issues

A common question related to alcohol consumption is "how to stop peeing so much when drinking alcohol?" Alcohol acts as a diuretic, leading to increased urine production. This means you'll likely visit the bathroom more often after drinking. If you’re out socializing or have mobility issues, these frequent trips can be inconvenient  if you're out and about or have mobility issues.

When you drink plenty of water you’ll notice that your urine is clear or a pale yellow. When you drink lots of alcohol it can cause you to become dehydrated and you’ll notice that your pee turns darker in colour, becomes cloudy, and may smell unpleasant.

When pee sits in your bladder it becomes more concentrated and can cause irritation and inflammation in the lining of your bladder. This increases your chances of getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) which can sometimes lead to a kidney infection (3). This is why you should never resist the urge to urinate in order to “not break the seal”.

Why alcohol makes you pee more often 

You may wonder why alcohol makes you pee more often. Beer, wine, and spirits are bladder stimulants, which means the more you drink, the more you’ll find yourself on the loo. The urge to visit the loo happens because the detrusor muscles are contracting too much. This explains why alcohol makes you pee more often and it is particularly challenging if you have an overactive bladder, as it can exacerbate bladder leak symptoms (4). 

Needing to pee can be frustrating on a night out or whilst travelling as taking regular trips to the toilet, or waiting in the queue when you're bursting for a pee, can be a nightmare. If you have a physical impairment too, this may make it difficult for you to reach the toilet in time.

Managing your alcohol intake can help, but understanding why this happens is crucial for those who enjoy a social drink yet face bladder-related challenges.

Bladder leaks in bed or public

After a night of drinking, your bladder fills faster due to suppressed ADH (antidiuretic hormone) levels. The role of ADH is to stop the kidneys from making too much urine, which stops you from dehydration. But when you drink alcohol, it suppresses the amount of ADH made, so your body makes more urine than it should, which is why alcohol makes you pee more often (5).

This rapid filling of your bladder can lead to bedwetting or urgent needs to pee while awake. 

Thinking you need the toilet when you don’t

Drinking a lot of alcohol can cause your brain to send impaired signals to your body, tricking you into thinking you don’t need to go when actually you do. If you've ever found yourself needing the toilet on a night out and then not being able to pee—this may be why.

How Can I Prevent a Weak Bladder When Drinking Alcohol?

If you find that alcohol is affecting your bladder control, consider speaking to your doctor and moderating your intake. Some practical tips include pacing your drinks, choosing lower alcohol content beverages, and avoiding mixing alcohol with bladder irritants like caffeine and fizzy drinks. 

Bladder weakness can have multiple causes and it’s important to identify the root cause in order to treat your specific type of incontinence. By identifying and treating incontinence, you can reclaim control over some aspects of your life and have the confidence to be in crowded or awkward environments such as planes or trains, or even on a night out without worrying about going to the toilet as often.

If you, however, are wondering about how to stop peeing so much when drinking alcohol,  they'll tell you to cut down on the number of drinks you’re having.

The daily recommended amount of alcohol for both men and women is 14 units a week if you’re drinking on a regular basis (6). Find out how much you're drinking using the unit calculator.

What can you do to limit your alcohol intake (5, 7,8, 9)?

• Switch to a 5.5% wine instead of the usual 12 -14%
• Stop using your favourite giant novelty wine glass (we’ve all got one)
• Don’t mix your drinks with caffeine and fizzy drinks, as these can irritate your bladder
• Pace yourself and don’t drink too late into the night
• Go to the toilet right before you climb into bed
• Set an alarm and go to the toilet during the night
• Strengthen your pelvic floor muscles using Kegel exercises

Control Your Weak Bladder With INNOVO

For those seeking a proactive approach to managing bladder health, INNOVO offers a non-invasive solution. These innovative shorts are designed to perform pelvic floor exercises effectively, helping to strengthen the muscles that control bladder function. Regular use of INNOVO can lead to improved bladder control, reducing the impact of alcohol on your bladder health and enhancing your overall quality of life.

With INNOVO, you can enjoy your social life and occasional drinks without the constant worry of bladder leaks or frequent trips to the bathroom. This solution empowers you to take control of your bladder health in a comfortable and convenient way, without worrying about why alcohol makes you pee so often. Find out how INNOVO works and how it can treat your bladder leaks—Cheers to that!

Sources

1. National Association for Incontinence. Could Alcohol Be Causing Your Bedwetting Problem? Accessed September 2021.
2. NHS. 10 Ways To Stop Leaks. Reviewed November 2019.
3. Hartmann. Alcohol & The Impact It Has on Your Bladder and Bowels. August 2018.
4. NHS. Urinary Incontinence: Causes. Reviewed November 2019.
5. Cleveland Clinic. Do You Wet the Bed After a Night of Drinking? Here’s Why. Accessed October 2021.
6. NHS. Alcohol Units. Reviewed April 2018.
7. Healthline. Do You Really ‘Break The Seal’ When You Pee After a Drink? Published December 2019.
8. Drinkaware. Low Alcohol Drinks. Accessed October 2021.
9. Mayo Clinic. Overactive Bladder. Published March 2020.