7 Tips for a Healthy Holiday Bladder

By: James Relle, M.D.

Cheers to the holiday season! If toasting to friends and family is part of the joy of your holiday celebrations, you are not alone. Alcohol consumption is at its peak during this time. But before accepting that fourth holiday party cocktail, consider what it will do to your New Year’s bladder.

Alcohol is among a list of holiday delights that can overwhelm an already hardworking bladder.

We’re not Scrooges here – we encourage festivities during the holidays. We’re just fans of moderation and a healthy 2025. So, here are a few painless guidelines to help you navigate the over-indulgent events that have come to define the holiday season. And we promise you can even over-indulge a little, too.

7 simple compromises for a healthy bladder over the holiday season

1. Alternate cocktails with water. Alcohol increases urine production, causing your body to release water faster and more frequently. This can lead to dehydration. A shortage of fluids in your system can result in a buildup of body waste in the urine, irritating the bladder.
2. Avoid tobacco smoke. Cigarette smoking causes about half of the bladder cancers in the U.S. Smoking impacts many urinary conditions. It’s a topic we’ve covered before. Please read our blog, 6 urinary conditions made worse by smoking.
3. Eat cookies AND salad. The rich foods that make the holidays so special might cling to your digestive system as well as your midsection, leading to constipation. Constipation can cause symptoms of urinary incontinence because a full bowel can put pressure on the bladder. Balance out sugary, high-fat cheeses, dips and desserts with fiber-rich holiday foods. Options include whole grain crackers, raw veggies and fruits, sweet potato pie, chocolate-covered strawberries, and certain nuts, such as almonds
4. Be a restroom regular. Another simple way to prevent constipation is to drink plenty of caffeine-free and alcohol-free fluids. And be sure to use the bathroom when you need to. If you hold it in and wait until the last minute, your bladder may not empty, and the residual urine can contribute to a bladder and/or urinary tract infection.
5. Make decaf the (occasional) new black. Caffeine, like alcohol, is a diuretic. This can exacerbate the compromised function of an overactive bladder, a leading cause of urinary incontinence. Request (or offer) decaffeinated after-dinner coffee drinks.
6. Wear that fabulous outfit, but wear it well. You should look great during the holidays and be mindful of future comfort. Tight-fitting pants, pantyhose, and nylon underwear can trap moisture while keeping you warm. This is an environment that breeding bacteria love. Bacteria, when grown in the urine, cause urinary tract infections (UTIs).
7. About that mistletoe. Holiday romance can haunt you if it results in a UTI. This occurs when the urethra, the tube through which urine escapes the bladder, comes into contact with bacteria in a partner’s genitals. In women who have shorter urethras, the risk of contracting UTIs is higher. Cleaning and urinating before and after sex reduce the chances.

Follow these tips and compromises as often as possible; it should help your hard-working bladder tackle 2025 with better energy and health. You have many opportunities to celebrate, but your bladder never gets a day off.