Even though dealing with incontinence is never smooth sailing, it does get easier with time. However, bedtime can be a struggle for many who have this condition. The reason is that you have to go longer without changing your briefs or catheters than at any other time of the day.
Fortunately, there’s something you can do about it. By following these steps for the best bedtime routine for those with incontinence, you should have no trouble getting a night of restful sleep.
Avoid Too Many Liquids Before Bed
The first step of this routine starts way before you even get to the bedroom. In general, limiting the amount of liquid you consume before going to sleep for the night is a good practice. A nighttime trip to the bathroom might be in order if you drink too much.
However, that doesn’t mean you should avoid liquid entirely. Not drinking enough water when you have incontinence can be just as bad as drinking too much, if not worse. This is because it’ll make your urine too concentrated, which might cause a UTI. It’s best to drink some water without going overboard on your nighttime intake.
Go to the Bathroom Twice
Once you finally retreat to the bedroom for the night, it’s time to start step two. The first thing you should do is head straight to the bathroom and use it. After you’ve finished, go through the other steps of your nightly routine. Only after you’re done with everything else should you head to the bathroom once more to see if you need to go again. If you don’t, this isn’t a bad thing. It’s just a good idea to make sure there’s nothing left in the tank before going to sleep.
Do Some Kegel Exercises
The next step in our ideal bedtime routine for people with incontinence is doing Kegel exercises. These exercises are a great way to potentially fix your incontinence. However, many people forget to do them regularly, so making them a part of your bedtime routine will help you remember to keep up with them.
Even if you’ve gotten good about working your Kegels during the day, we still recommend doing them at night. Like any other workout, performing Kegel exercises temporarily boosts the strength of the muscle group you’re working on. That means doing Kegels before bed can help them stay strong enough to hold in your urine throughout the night.
Get Your Incontinence Products Ready
Finally, the last thing you should do before going to sleep, other than visiting the bathroom for the second time, is get your incontinence products ready for bed. If you use incontinence briefs, you should switch to a new pair if there is any moisture in your current ones. Starting the night with a fresh pair will help ensure no leaks occur.
If you use catheters, make sure you empty your collection bag before getting into bed. The rules on how often you should change your catheter bag vary depending on the type and size, but you should empty a bedside bag once a day. If you forgot to do it in the morning, emptying it before bed will help ensure that it doesn’t overflow while you sleep.
