Pelvic Floor & Mental Health

October 10th is World Mental Health Day and often we don’t talk about the correlation between the pelvic floor and mental health. Mental health can play a huge part in our pelvic floor. Stress and worry can often cause us to clench our muscles. Tightening our pelvic floor muscles is a common stress reaction. When your pelvic floor muscles are too tight, it can cause constipation, painful sex, urgency and pelvic pain.

On the other hand, if you already have pelvic floor problems, then they can also impact your mental health. We typically think of these as just physical problems but not being able to control normal bodily functions can create stress and embarrassment. They are often unpredictable and can make daily life a bit more challenging. You might be anxious or depressed because your disorder disrupts your routine, your relationships and your ability to participate in activities.

Learning how to relax is not only good for your emotional health but for your pelvic health as well!

Top Tips for Relaxing Your Mind & Body:

Press Pause - If you are finding yourself in a stressful situation, take a break and come back to it when you are ready.

Exercise - Gentle exercise can help you relax, work away the stress, and help you take it easy on your pelvic floor.

Breathe In, Breathe Out - Take a few minutes to diaphragm breathe to help minimize stress.

Go Outside - Spending a few minutes outside can help both your physical and mental well being.

Listen to Music - Turning up the volume on your favorite music can turn down the noise from the outside world.

Step Away from Technology - Swap an hour of screen time for something that you enjoy like reading or playing with your furry friends.

Once you have found a way to target your stress levels, then you can begin to strengthen your weakened pelvic floor muscles. We can help with that! Call us to schedule an evaluation, 720-500-7450.