New Year, New Pelvic Floor: Resolutions That Actually Improve Your Bowel, Bladder, Sexual, and Core Health

Every January, people make resolutions about losing weight, getting organized, or drinking more water. Those are great goals, but here’s one that most people forget — and it makes a massive difference in your quality of life:

Taking care of your pelvic floor.

This New Year, instead of starting something drastic (or something you’ll abandon by January 8th), let’s focus on small, doable habits that actually improve your pelvic, core, bladder, and sexual health. These changes don’t require hours of exercise or dramatic routines. They’re simple, actionable, and your body will thank you for them all year long.

Let’s dive into the resolutions that truly support your pelvic floor, no matter your age, stage of life, or current symptoms.

Resolution 1: “I will stop ignoring symptoms that I’ve been brushing off for months (or years).”

Here’s your reminder that symptoms like:

• Bladder leaks

• Urgency

• Constipation

• Pelvic pressure

• Pain with sex

• Low back or hip pain

• Postpartum core weakness

• Vaginal heaviness

• Difficulty emptying your bladder or bowels
  

…are common, but not normal.

You deserve to understand what your body is doing, why it’s doing it, and how to get real, lasting relief.

This year, commit to checking in with your pelvic health — not waiting until symptoms disrupt your daily life.

Resolution 2: “I will understand what my pelvic floor is actually supposed to do.”

Most people don’t think about their pelvic floor until something goes wrong. Even fewer know what it actually is.

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that:

• Support your bladder, uterus, and rectum

• Control your bowel and bladder

• Contribute to sexual function

• Help with core stability

• Regulate pressure during lifting, coughing, and laughing

• Adapt to childbirth, pregnancy, menopause, or surgery
  

This year, get familiar with these muscles. Knowing how they work is the first step toward improving them.

Resolution 3: “I will learn to relax my pelvic floor — not just tighten it.”

Here’s one of the biggest misconceptions in pelvic health: Kegels are not the automatic solution to any pelvic floor problem.

For MANY people, the pelvic floor is already:

• Too tight

• Overactive

• Guarding

• Reacting to stress

• Clenching without awareness
  
  

A tight pelvic floor can cause:

• Pain with sex

• Pelvic pressure

• Constipation

• Low back pain

• Bladder urgency

• Difficulty starting your urine stream
  
  

This year, make it a resolution to:

• Practice 360 breathing

• Relax your pelvic floor without bearing down

• Reduce tension through stretching, mobility, and stress reduction

• Understand whether you need strengthening, lengthening, or coordination

  Not all pelvic floors need strengthening — many need softening first.

Resolution 4: “I will drink enough water and stop ‘just in case’ peeing.”

This is one of the simplest — and most overlooked — pelvic floor habits.

Hydration Helps:

• Regulate bladder urgency

• Improve bowel regularity

• Prevent burning with urination

• Reduce constipation

• Support healthy pelvic tissue
  

Aim for half your body weight in ounces per day, adjusting for exercise.

And please — stop JIC peeing!

Going “just in case” trains your bladder to feel full when it isn’t.
This creates false urgency and frequent trips to the bathroom.

This year, try:

• Waiting until your bladder feels naturally full

• Using urge suppression techniques

• Reducing preventative peeing before you leave the house
  
  

Small habit, big impact.

Resolution 5: “I will support my core and pelvic floor together.”

Your pelvic floor doesn’t work alone — it works in a team with:

• Your diaphragm

• Your transverse abdominis

• Your deep spinal muscles

• Your hips
  

If one part of the team is overworking or underworking, the whole group is affected.

This year, try exercises that blend breath with gentle core work, like:

• 360 breathing + arm lifts

• Heel slides

• Bridges with breath coordination

• Side-lying hip work

• Gentle Pilates

• Walking + breath awareness
  
  

You don’t need to do intense ab workouts. You just need to move with intention.

Resolution 6: “I will regulate my stress and nervous system — because it directly affects my pelvic floor.”

The pelvic floor reacts to stress like any other muscle. When life feels overwhelming, the pelvic floor often responds by tightening, guarding, or clenching.

This contributes to:

• Painful intercourse

• Tailbone pain

• Back or hip tension

• Bladder urgency

• Difficulty relaxing to empty bowels or bladder
  
  

This year, work on nervous system support such as:

• Gentle yoga

• Meditation

• 360 breathing

• Walking

• A few minutes of quiet time before bed

• Reducing “fight or flight” triggers
  
  

It doesn’t need to be perfect — just more consistent.

Resolution 7: “I will take better care of my vulvar skin.”

Dryness, irritation, painful sex, or burning are not things you have to accept.

Simple steps that help:

• Switching to fragrance-free products

• Using water or silicone-based lubricant

• Applying a vulvar moisturizer

• Treating friction with barrier creams

• Seeking assessment for hormonal dryness, postpartum healing, or vulvar conditions

• Getting help for pelvic floor tension contributing to vulvar discomfort
  
  

Your skin down there deserves as much care as the skin on your face.

Resolution 8: “I will stop thinking I have to figure all of this out by myself.”

You don’t need Dr. Google.
You don’t need to be embarrassed.
You don’t need to wait until symptoms feel unbearable.

Pelvic floor health is healthcare — not a DIY project.

This year, when something feels off, ask for help sooner rather than later.

Pelvic floor therapy is covered by insurance.

You deserve access to high-quality, one-on-one care that helps you:

• Understand your symptoms

• Get pain-free bowel and bladder habits

• Improve sexual function

• Build a strong, coordinated core

• Feel confident in your body again

The Bottom Line

New Year’s resolutions don’t have to feel overwhelming, guilt-inducing, or dramatic. In fact, the best changes are simple, sustainable, and supportive — especially when it comes to your pelvic floor.

This year, choose habits that make you feel stronger, more confident, more comfortable, and more connected to your body.

Whether you’re dealing with specific symptoms or just want to prioritize better pelvic health in 2026, we’re here to help you start the year feeling informed and empowered.

Need More Help?

Want to start the New Year strong with a pelvic floor PT who is covered by insurance?
Call our office at (609) 300-3963 to schedule an appointment.