Your Pavlovian Bladder
Freshman Hayley is sweating right now
Today’s bladder tip is all about your “pavlovian bladder”. What? like the dog? Yes. Like the “Pavlovian Dog” that you learned about it psychology 101.
If you were hungover in PSY 101 sometimes and the concept of “classical conditioning” is a bit hazy - I’ll review here. (It’s me, I was occasionally hungover in PSY 101- It was Friday at 8:00am in my defense )
Anyways,
A Russian scientist ran experiments on dogs. He would ring a bell, then feed the dogs.
A normal doggy response to food is to drool, like, a lot. Well, over time with the combo of the bell then the food the dogs started associating the sound of the bell with getting food. So, even though there was NO food presented the dogs would start drooling away at just the sound of the bell.
You can take a “neutral stimulus” like the bell and create another real physical reaction or the “conditioned response” - drooling - to this novel stimuli - bell.
So what does this have to do with your bladder? Yeah What?? - Get to it lady.
Well, the urge to pee is VERY sensitive to classical conditioning. Which is bad because it can pick up the conditioned response quickly.
So how does classical conditioning relate to your bladder? Heres an example.
You’re enjoying a moment to yourself in the shower... water is warm and it’s quiet. Finally, everyone is leaving you alone. You decide to pee because you kinda have to go and the thought of getting out of the shower all wet sounds terrible.
The next time you turn on the shower you think, ah I’ll pee now so I don’t have to pee in the shower, but you can still hear the running water.
The next day, you turn on the sink to wash your hands... boom... super strong urge to pee. Dammit. The sound of running water is now your bell and your urge to pee from the sound of running water is the conditioned response to the neutral stimuli. You don’t actually have to pee, but now these two things are link in your mind, and your body.
A less obvious example is peeing “just in case” anytime you leave anywhere. You link the thought of leaving a place, with the need to pee. Now, you don’t really have to pee, but you just “can’t help it” and get the urge to go.
This type of conditioning can happen fast. BUT... not to fret. Despite some of these habits and associations coming on fast, strong, and seemingly sticking around for a lifetime we can actually break these habits quite quickly.
The other PSY 101 principle here to know is “extinction” this is where you loose the conditioned response when you stop linking the stimuli.
So for the ol’ pups, once they stopped feeding the dogs with the bells it didn’t take to long for the doggos to stop salivating with the sound of the bell.
YOU CAN STOP PEEING WITH YOUR PROVERBIAL “BELL”.
It might be slightly more complicated that simply removing the stimuli, but, it’s a really the essential place to start.
My best tip: when the urge hits and you know it’s just your “habit” vs being truly what your bladder needs. Stand with your left foot back a bit, get your weight into your left heel and feel your center of gravity shift back, and to the left. Take a few deep breaths, try to unclench your butt cheeks and tell your body and your bladder (in your mind) “It’s not time bladder. I can go later when you are actually full” You noticed the bell, and didn’t take the bait for the food. You’re doing it!
I know, it seems stupid. But just like the dogs only took a little bit of time to loose the link of the drool to the bell. It is really common for this “extinction” to happen fairly quickly for your bladder too!
I have been detailing various tips in my email list this week as we lead up to my next round of the “Pelvic Balance Series” which is my signature online 4 week pelvic floor class. Class starts Monday the 19th of January: We meet live Monday /Wednesday at 10:00 am EST for 30 mins and it is and will always be “pay what you can”. I'd Love for you to Join us!