Get this:

According to a 2001 Harris survey of folks with overactive bladders (also called urge urinary incontinence), about fifty percent were sexually active … and about two-thirds of those people reported that urine leakage got in the way of their sex lives!

Of course, this isn't all that surprising. Sexual activity can irritate the bladder, which can cause urine leakage. That can be a real show-stopper!

Says Melody Denson, MD, a board-certified urologist with the Urology Team in Austin, Texas, "When you're being intimate, you're used to secretions and moistness, but the thought that it's actually urine leakage is really upsetting and uncomfortable."

How to Have Good Sex Despite Urinary Incontinence
The truth of the matter is that women with urinary incontinence can (and should) have good sex. Good sex just takes a little more preparation.

1. Do Your Kegels
Not only do Kegels, which are pelvic muscle floor contractions, keep urine where it belongs during sex, but these exercises can also enhance your sexual experience in other ways. Kegels are simple to do. The trick is remembering to do them … regularly! If you are not sure how to do a Kegel correctly, or how to integrate these simple exercises into your daily routine, read our free ebook on the subject. It's called "What's Up Down There?" and it covers the basics, plus helps you with troubleshooting.

2. Skip the Wine and Other Bladder Irritants
While wine may sound like the perfect accompaniment to a romantic dinner, it can also ruin an intimate moment after dinner. Wine can irritate the bladder, which can cause urine leakage. To prevent urine leakage, stay away from all bladder irritating foods and drinks, such as caffeinated beverages, acidic foods, and spicy dishes. Get a more complete list of bladder-irritating foods and drinks HERE.

3. Be Ready
Getting ready for intimacy without urine leakage means taking the same steps as avoiding urine leakage at night. Limit fluid intake a few hours before and practice double voiding. And if you haven't had "the talk" about urinary incontinence with your partner, take the time to do so before getting intimate. It will save both you embarrassment later. Not sure how to talk to your partner? Find out HERE.

Hopefully, these simple steps will help you have a great sex life, despite urinary incontinence symptoms!

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Do you ever curl up in bed after a long day's work, ready for a restful night's sleep, only to find that you have to leap out of bed again to pee? Then two hours later, you have to pee again. Two hours later? Ditto ...so much for beauty rest!

But rest easy. Your problem isn't insolvable. By making a few conservative lifestyle changes you can sleep solidly for six to eight hours at a time-with no interruptions!

Getting Beauty Rest with Urinary Incontinence
If you are up and down all night, running to the bathroom, then you are not alone! Sixteen percent of people over the age of 18 have the same trouble getting a good night's sleep. What's even worse is dealing with the wet sheets when you don't make it to the bathroom on time.

To avoid all of this hassle, here are some steps you can take to guarantee future nights of beauty rest:

1. Limit Fluid Intake
Stop drinking fluids after 6 pm, or at least 3 hours before bed. To stay hydrated, you need to drink at least four to nine cups of water daily. Just be sure to drink those fluids during the morning and afternoon. Limiting fluid intake in the evening will decrease your need to urinate at night.

2. Double-Void Before Bed
Double-voiding is the practice of urinating twice before you go to bed. First, urinate until you feel that your bladder is empty. Then, go through the rest of your evening routine, such as washing your face or brushing your teeth. Afterwards, urinate again. This ensures that your bladder is truly empty before you go to bed. Alternately, you can double-void by urinating, relaxing on the toilet for 10-20 seconds, and then urinating again.

3. Avoid Bladder-Irritating Food and Drink
If you suffer from urinary incontinence, preventing nighttime wetting accidents means avoiding certain foods and drinks. Caffeinated drinks, alcoholic beverages, acidic foods and juices, spicy dishes, and artificial sweeteners can all worsen urinary incontinence symptoms. Stay away from these items and you should experience better sleep at night.

These three simple lifestyle-changing steps can go a long way toward transforming you from a sleep-deprived grump to Sleeping Beauty!

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Does this sound familiar?

You excuse yourself several times during a dinner date to go to the bathroom. You avoid sex to prevent the embarrassment of leaking urine at "the big moment." You keep postponing a romantic trip because you are afraid you won't be able to find bathrooms when you really need them.

All of these situations may seem perfectly normal to you if you are coping with urinary incontinence, but they may cause your significant other to wonder if the relationship is headed for a breakup.

Yikes! What's a gal to do? Don't panic. Instead, spend some time talking with your significant other about your urinary incontinence problem.

How to Talk with Your Significant Other
While talking to your partner about urinary leakage certainly isn't the most romantic topic in the world, it can certainly put your mind at ease ... not to mention keep your partner from wondering why you are acting so strangely! There are two things you can do to make the conversation easier:

1. Choose the right moment to raise the issue
2. Be careful, thorough, and patient in your explanation

Choosing the Right Moment
Let's take the first point-choosing the perfect moment. Since discussing your urinary incontinence issue an important topic, you want to pick a time when you have your partner's undivided attention. For instance, a quiet walk in the park or a private lunch at home would both be good times to raise the issue. You might want to avoid bringing up the subject as you head into the bedroom. Also avoid raising the topic over the phone because silences are difficult to interpret if you can't see your partner's face!

Explain Carefully
Once you start the conversation with your partner, describe your symptoms carefully and simply. Explain how these symptoms impact your life, and how you cope with these symptoms. You will also want to tell your partner about the steps you are taking to treat your urinary incontinence, whether you are participating in physical therapy, using medication, or considering surgery.

If you feel embarrassed discussing the subject, write a list of talking points. This will help you get through the conversation without skipping any important information. Finally, give your partner a chance to ask questions, and answer as honestly as you can.

Honesty Helps
While talking about women's urinary incontinence isn't very romantic, having the discussion can really deepen your relationship with your partner. You'll probably be surprised ... urinary leakage is most likely "no big deal" to your partner. And, as they say, "Honesty is the best policy."

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If you suffer from women's urinary incontinence, you are probably wary about exercising in public. The embarrassment of a urine leakage accident occurring while you jog on a crowded public trail or ride an exercise bike at the gym can be enough to keep you at home!

Unfortunately, avoiding workouts won't really help your urine leakage problem. In fact, lack of exercise--and the resulting weight gain--can actually worsen your urinary leakage problems. That's why it is important to deal with your urinary incontinence so that you can work out in a way that is comfortable for you. We have some tips that can empower you to return to the gym without fear of urinary leakage.

Five Ways to Cope with Urinary Incontinence While Exercising
There are many conservative measures you can take to prevent or minimize urinary leakage when you exercise. Here are five ways you can help yourself stay dry while you exercise.

Tip #1: Limit Fluid Intake
While it is important to stay hydrated when you exercise, limiting your fluid intake just before your exercise session can help prevent urine leakage. You are the best judge of how much fluid you need to drink before and during your workout to stay hydrated while preventing leakage accidents. Experiment with different levels of fluid intake until you see some level of improvement in your urinary incontinence symptoms. Normally, women need to drink between four and nine cups of water per day to stay hydrated.

Tip #2: Urinate Just Before Working Out
Emptying your bladder before your workout can go a long way toward preventing leakage accidents. You can go a step further by practicing double voiding. Double voiding means urinating until you feel that your bladder is empty. Then, wait a few seconds, and urinate again. This allows your bladder to empty completely, which can help prevent symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, which is also called overactive bladder.

Tip #3: Use a Tampon or Urethral Insert
Both tampons and urethral inserts increase pressure on the urethra and support the bladder. Both of these actions can help prevent urine leakage during while you exercise, especially if you suffer from stress urinary incontinence.

Tip #4: Use Absorbent Pads or Diapers
While this option seems unattractive for many women, since pads and diapers can be bulky and uncomfortable, you might be surprised at the advances in these products. Trying different absorbent products until you find the one that works for you may allow you to return to an active lifestyle without worrying about that embarrassing "wet panty" look. Check out the different kinds of absorbent products on the market today, and see which ones fit your needs.

Tip #5: Exercise Your Body Inside and Out
Being able to work out at the gym without urine leakage may depend on how regularly you exercise your inner muscles "down there." Regularly exercising your pelvic floor muscles can keep you toned and fit internally, which prevents urine leakage. For the scoop on pelvic floor muscle contractions (also called Kegels) check out our free informational ebook.

Download the "What's Up Down There" ebook here.

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When it comes to women's urinary incontinence, relaxation can be the last thing that comes to mind. Dealing with urinary leakage definitely isn't a relaxing event! Instead, leakage accidents have most women running for the bathroom in a panic.

Believe it or not, relaxation can be a key to preventing urinary leakage. Really!

Why Relaxation Helps Prevent Urinary Incontinence
There are two major ways that relaxation can help you avoid urine leakage:

1. Relaxation helps you empty your bladder completely.
2. Relaxation gives you time to do a Kegel, which can prevent urine leakage.

Let's explore the first point: how relaxation can help you empty your bladder completely. By using a practice called double-voiding, you can ensure that you empty your bladder completely each time you go to the bathroom. This prevents urine leakage later, and also increases your bladder capacity. To double-void, take your time in the bathroom. First, urinate until you feel your bladder is empty. Then, wait about 10 seconds and then try to urinate again. You might be surprised that you still have to urinate. This is why it is important to relax and take your time when you are in the bathroom. Taking the time to double-void can prevent urine leakage accidents later.

Relaxation can also give you time to do a Kegel exercise or two on your way to the bathroom. If you feel the sudden urge to urinate, instead of panicking and running for the restroom, simply relax. Breathe deeply as you make your way to the bathroom, and do a couple of pelvic muscle contractions (Kegels). Kegel contractions can really help prevent urine leakage because they help tighten the sphincter muscles around the urethra, as well as supporting the bladder. Having a regular Kegel practice can keep these muscles in good shape, too.

Not sure how to do a Kegel? Get the scoop on what's up down there with our free "how-to" ebook.

Download the ebook here.

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