🎄 Why Your Pelvic Floor Feels Worse During the Holidays (and What You Can Do About It)
- Dr. Matt Paluchniak
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The holidays are magical……and also chaotic, stressful, schedule-crushing, sugar-heavy, and full of “I’ll take care of myself in January.”
If you’ve noticed your pelvic floor symptoms — leaking, urgency, heaviness, pain, or tension — getting worse this time of year, you are NOT imagining it.
In fact, this is one of the most common patterns we see at Evolv Physical Therapy & Performance with the women we work with.
Let’s break down why this happens — and what you can actually do to feel more in control over the next few weeks.
1. Your Stress Level Goes Up — and So Does Pelvic Floor Tension
When life feels overwhelming, your body doesn’t just experience stress mentally. It reacts physically.
Most women don’t realize this, but the pelvic floor responds to stress the same way your shoulders do:
👉 It tightens.
Holiday triggers that increase pelvic floor tension:
endless to-do lists
hosting
travel
family dynamics 🙃
later nights
more sugar/caffeine
disrupted routines
A tight pelvic floor can cause:
increased urgency
leaking
pelvic pressure
pain with intimacy
low back or hip discomfort
difficulty fully emptying your bladder or bowels
So no — it’s not just “holiday busy.” Your pelvic floor is actually bracing.
2. Your Routines Disappear… and Your Body Notices
Your pelvic floor LOVES routine: regular sleep, regular movement, regular hydration.
The holidays usually bring:
skipped workouts
long drives or long periods of sitting
eating and drinking differently
less water, more wine
inconsistent sleep
colder weather = less movement
All of these change how your core and pelvic floor function.
More sitting = more pressure. Less movement = more stiffness. Less hydration = more urgency. More sugar = more inflammation + bladder irritation.
It's a perfect storm — and not the Hallmark movie kind.
3. You Hold Your Breath WAY More Than You Realize
Picture holiday season: carrying gifts, rushing into Target, hauling groceries, lifting toddlers, shoveling snow, dragging luggage through the airport.
Most women do these things while:
👉 Holding their breath.
Breath-holding increases intra-abdominal pressure, which places extra load on:
your core
your pelvic floor
your back and hips
Which can lead to more:
leaking
pelvic pressure
doming/coning
back pain
feelings of heaviness
It's not “weakness.” It’s pressure management — which is trainable.
4. The Mental Load of the Holidays Is… a LOT
Women often carry the invisible weight of the holiday season:
organizing
planning
remembering the details
juggling schedules
keeping everyone afloat
And here’s the kicker: The mental load directly affects physical tension.
The more mentally overloaded you feel, the more your pelvic floor “tightens for safety.”
This is why even if symptoms are usually mild, December hits and your body is like:
“Bestie, we’re not doing so hot.”
5. This Doesn’t Mean You’re Broken — It Means Your Body Needs Support
When pelvic floor symptoms flare during stressful seasons, it’s not a sign that something is “wrong.”
It’s a sign your body is:
working overtime
reacting to pressure + stress
signaling that something needs attention
And the GOOD news?
These symptoms improve quickly when you address the root cause.
6. Here’s What Actually Helps (Simple Holiday-Proof Strategies)
✔ 1. Add 2–3 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing daily
Even 90 seconds can reset pelvic floor tension.
✔ 2. Make “micro-movement” your holiday friend
Walk 5–10 minutes after meals. Stretch for 2 minutes before bed. Do a few hip mobility drills in the morning.
It all counts.
✔ 3. Drink more water (and don’t fear caffeine)
Dehydration irritates the bladder WAY more than coffee does.
✔ 4. Pay attention to breath-holding
Especially during lifting, carrying, pulling, or shoveling.
✔ 5. Avoid “just in case” peeing
It trains your bladder to be anxious — and you don’t need two anxious organs during the holidays.
✔ 6. Get personalized support if symptoms flare
If leaking, heaviness, urgency, or pain is creeping in…that’s a sign to get ahead of it now instead of waiting for January.
7. You Don’t Have to Struggle Through the Holidays
We work with so many women in Ozaukee County who come in during November or December saying:
“I thought this would go away after the holidays—but it actually got worse.”
Your body deserves better than the “wait and see” approach.
If you’re feeling off, flared, tight, uncomfortable, or frustrated…
👉Click here to Book a free consultation call with one of our expert therapists. We’ll talk through your symptoms, what’s going on beneath the surface, and what your best next step is.
No pressure. No judgment. No “just do more Kegels.”
Just clarity, support, and a plan that actually works.
Interested in challenging yourself to a simple 7-Day Wellness Challenge? Click the link below to read more!
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