Reviewed by: Missy Nolan
If you feel the need to urinate more frequently before or during your period, rest assured knowing you're not alone. For the most part, this is a normal menstrual symptom (however annoying it might be) caused by progesterone levels spiking and lowering at the end of your cycle. While taking certain steps can help mitigate frequency and intensity, consult your physician on how to stop frequent urination during your period if symptoms become unmanageable or interfere with your daily life.
Causes of Frequent Urination Before Your Period
During your menstrual cycle, your body produces progesterone, a hormone responsible for retaining the fluids necessary to support a placenta during pregnancy. When your period starts, progesterone levels return to prior levels (though fluid levels remain high) — this is why many women experience bloating during PMS. Frequent urination is your body's natural way of flushing out this excess fluid buildup.
In some cases, frequent urination before or during your period could be a symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or an overactive bladder. While most UTIs can be treated with antifungal or antibiotic medication, an overactive bladder can develop due to nerve damage, age, lifestyle factors, or changes with age. In rare cases, these symptoms could signal a kidney infection. Speak to your doctor or physician if symptoms feel unusually severe or disruptive.
Symptoms of Frequent Urination Before Your Period
For many women, it can be difficult to tell whether frequent urination is a symptom of PMS or early pregnancy. In both cases, you may experience headaches, appetite changes, bloating, cramping, and mood changes. You may experience the following (completely normal) symptoms:
- Going to the bathroom 2 to 3 more times a day than normal
- Sudden, out-of-the-blue urges to pee
- Weight changes and feeling bloated (water weight)
A UTI could also be the cause of frequent urination. If you experience a burning sensation while urinating, discolored or strong-smelling pee, blood in your urine, or the need to wake up at night to use the bathroom, you likely have a UTI. Take antifungals or antibiotics, and if symptoms don't improve after a day or two, make an appointment to see your physician again. If you see blood in your urine and feel pain in your back or lower abdomen, call your physician or a medical hotline as soon as possible, as these symptoms could signal a kidney infection. Untreated kidney infections can lead to sepsis — a life-threatening condition.
Solutions for Frequent Urination Before and During Your Period
While everyone is different and hormonal variation can be affected by anything from diet to stress levels, the following steps can help manage the need to urinate frequently before and during your period.
Track Your Cycle
Knowing what to expect (and when) will help you anticipate frequent urination before and during your period. By far, the simplest method for advanced period planning is to jot down your start and end dates in a small calendar (and keep it in your purse). Beginning with the first day you start to bleed, a period typically lasts 3-5 days but can last as long as 7-10 days. The length of a menstrual cycle can vary but lasts an average of 28 days. For those who prefer to go paperless by keeping everything digital, apps like Period Calendar and Eve help you plan for and manage menstrual symptoms by integrating real-time inputs — including mood, sexual activity, and other factors.
Watch Your Fluid Intake
Staying hydrated before and during your menstrual cycle can help lessen headaches, fatigue, constipation, and other uncomfortable PMS symptoms. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily to flush out excess salts and keep your system healthy. As strange as it sounds, staying hydrated before your period can actually prevent fluid retention, thus reducing the need to urinate as frequently.
That said, bear in mind that caffeine and alcohol are not your friends. Both are diuretics and cause you to feel the need to pee more often than you should. You'll thank yourself for cutting back for a few days before and during your period.
Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles With Kegel Exercises
Aside from improving overall pelvic health and promoting better back and hip support, Kegel exercises can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles (the muscles surrounding your vagina, pelvis, and anus) to prevent incontinence and frequent urination. Kegels can be done anywhere — discreetly — but should not be overdone. Limit Kegel exercises during urination (for incontinence control) to twice a month to avoid bladder or kidney damage. Check with your doctor before adding Kegels to your routine, as Kegels can worsen some types of pelvic floor dysfunction.
Stay Comfortable and Dry With Nexwear
Accidents can happen even with flawless planning and preparation. Having a backup you can rely on can spell the difference between toilet anxiety (the fear of being more than 10 seconds away from the restroom) and feeling confident enough to take on whatever life throws at you. Nexwear's line of ultra-absorbent pads delivers protection you can rely on with a form-fitting design and built-in odor neutralizers — whether you're on your period or not.
The Bottom Line
- Feeling the need to urinate frequently is an entirely normal symptom of your menstrual cycle.
- Due to progesterone levels spiking and dropping, your body releases excess fluids when your period starts.
- Peeing a few more times per day is completely normal before or during your period. Watch for signs of a UTI or kidney infection, as these can be dangerous if left untreated.
- Have a system to track and plan for your cycle, and limit your intake of diuretics like caffeine and alcohol at the end of your cycle.
- Practice Kegel exercises to build up your pelvic floor strength and keep Nexwear handy as a backup.
Life doesn't slow down for that time of the month — and you shouldn't have to either. Bring back confidence and independence to your active lifestyle with Nexwear’s range of discreet incontinence products.
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