Bladder Leaks Stressing You Out?

We bet you didn’t know that November 1st was National Stress Awareness Day! Stress awareness is something near and dear to our hearts, as a brand on a mission to empower and support women . There are a multitude of things that can create stress in our busy lives (including bladder leaks!), so to help you out we have done some research and compiled a list of easy ways you can de-stress your life and give your bod a break.

• Meditation

According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to relieve stress. And the best part is: you can do it wherever you are! It works as a sort of mind-body medicine, and can induce a deep state of relaxation and sense of tranquility. The idea is to focus your attention and get rid of all those messy jumbled thoughts and worries that may be flying through your mind. You can start by just closing your eyes and concentrating on one (and only one) specific thing, whether it’s your breaths in and out or visualizing a calm, happy place (we like to imagine the beaches from the Corona commercials!) We aren’t going to sugar coat it, meditation is a lot easier said than done (those messy thoughts are persistent little beasts!), but the pay off is enhanced physical and emotional well-being, so it’s worth the effort it takes to get the hang of it!

• Just breathe.

It doesn’t take a doctor to figure out how great some good old fashion deep breathing is for your stress levels. And, like meditation, you can do it anywhere. We recommend Dr. Weil’s breathing technique, which starts with sitting up straight and closing your eyes. From there, simply breathe in for a count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 7, and breathe out for a count of 8. This technique will slow your heart rate down, relax your body, and could even help you sleep (insomnia: one of the most annoying side effects of stress, amirite!?)

3. Talk that talk.

You have probably already experienced one of the best parts of friendships and relationships: that calm, relieved feeling you get after venting to someone about something going on in your life. There’s a reason for that! Sharing your feelings with someone (preferably in person) lightens your load. You can get a fresh perspective or a sympathetic ear, and at the same time, it strengthens your connection with another human, which is always a good thing! Sharing your stress is one of the easiest ways to alleviate it.

4. Get your belly laugh on!

Studies by the Mayo Clinic show that when you laugh, the stress hormone cortisol is lowered, and the happy hormones (endorphins) are raised. This lessens the stress response and makes for a healthier, happier human! So next time that stress kicks in, pop on Netflix and watch your favorite comedy or sitcom – chances are you’ll feel better after a laugh or two.

5. Move it, move it.

Ahhhh, exercise. Whether you love it or hate it, it is without a doubt one of the best things you can do for your body – stressed or not. But we’re not talking about a mandatory 5 mile run! Whether it’s a high impact workout, yoga, walking, or just some stretchy head rolls and shoulder shrugs, exercise releases those feel-good chemicals and helps bring your body back to good.

Hopefully one or all of these recommendations will help you lead a happier, less stressful life. But we totally understand that stress-induced bladder leaks can undermine the benefit of some of them, like laughing or exercising. That’s where Finess comes in! If you’re looking to de-stress your life but are battling bladder leaks, do yourself a favor and check Finess out. It prevents bladder leaks before they happen, so you don’t have to waste time worrying about odor or wetness. Because after all, don’t you have enough to worry about without adding wet undies to the list?