A quick trip to the loo before you head out the door. A second coffee to get you through the afternoon. Holding on until the end of a long meeting. Most of us do these things every day without thinking twice.

But the bladder is a muscle, and like any muscle, it responds to how you treat it. Small things you do every day, often without a second thought, can make it more sensitive, less efficient or more prone to leaks and urgency over time.

The tricky part is that most of these habits feel harmless, or even helpful. Many of them are things people do on purpose to avoid leaks or urgency, without realising they could be making things worse.

Below, we've rounded up six everyday habits that could be affecting your bladder. For each one, we explain why it matters, plus some tips on what might help your bladder out.

1. Going to the toilet 'just in case'

Popping to the loo before you leave the house, before a movie, before bed and again before you get in the car feels sensible. The problem is that your bladder learns from it.

When you regularly empty it before it's full, your bladder gets used to holding less. Over time, it starts sending the 'I need to go' signal earlier and more urgently, even when there isn't much in there. That's how a harmless habit can turn into needing the toilet far more often than you used to.

Most adults go around 6 to 8 times a day, roughly every 3 to 4 hours.

Try this instead:

• Go when your bladder tells you it's full, not because you might need to later.

• Keep one 'before I leave the house' trip if it gives you peace of mind, but drop the extra ones in between.

• If you're already going very often, try stretching the time between trips by 10 to 15 minutes at a time. A GP or continence nurse should guide you through this, as it works best with a proper plan.

2. Not drinking enough water

It makes sense on the surface: drink less, go less, leak less. Plenty of people cut back on fluids for exactly this reason, especially before going out.

Unfortunately, it tends to backfire. When you don't drink enough, your urine becomes more concentrated. Strong, dark urine irritates the lining of the bladder, which can make you feel the urge to go more often and more suddenly. It also raises the risk of urinary tract infections and constipation, both of which put extra pressure on your bladder.

Try this instead:

• Aim for around 1.5 to 2 litres of fluid a day, unless your doctor has given you different advice.

• Spread your drinks out across the day rather than having a lot at once.

• Check the colour of your urine. Pale straw is what you're after. Dark yellow means you need more fluid.

• If night-time trips are the issue, have most of your fluids earlier in the day and ease off in the two hours before bed, rather than cutting back overall.

3. Too much coffee, fizz and alcohol

That morning coffee isn't the enemy, but it's worth knowing what it does. Caffeine makes your kidneys produce more urine, and it also irritates the bladder, which can make the urge to go stronger and harder to put off.

Caffeine isn't the only culprit. Other common bladder irritants include:

• Tea, cola and energy drinks (they all contain caffeine)

• Fizzy drinks, including soda water

• Alcohol

• Artificial sweeteners, often found in diet soft drinks

• For some people, citrus juices and spicy food

Everyone reacts differently, so one person's trigger might not bother someone else at all.

Try this instead:

• Cut back gradually rather than all at once. Stopping caffeine suddenly can leave you with headaches.

• Swap some of your daily coffees or teas for decaf or caffeine-free herbal tea.

• To find your own triggers, remove one suspect at a time for a week or two and notice whether anything changes.

• Keep plain water as your main drink, and treat the rest as extras.

4. Holding on for too long

This is the opposite of the 'just in case' habit, and it's just as unhelpful. Busy workdays, long drives, meetings that run over or simply not wanting to use a public toilet can all lead to hours of holding on.

Regularly holding on well past the point of needing to go can overstretch the bladder. Over time, that can make it harder for the bladder to empty fully. Urine left sitting in the bladder also gives bacteria more of a chance to grow, which raises the risk of infections.

Try this instead:

• When you feel a genuine urge, go within a reasonable time rather than putting it off for hours.

• As a rough guide, you shouldn't regularly go longer than 4 to 5 hours during the day without a toilet break.

• On long trips, plan your stops ahead of time so you're not forced to choose between holding on and making a detour.

5. Straining on the toilet

Your bowel and bladder sit right next to each other, so what happens in one affects the other.

When you're constipated, a full bowel presses on the bladder. That pressure can make you feel like you need to wee more often and can stop your bladder from emptying properly. Then there's the straining itself. Pushing hard on the toilet puts a lot of downward pressure on your pelvic floor, the group of muscles that supports your bladder and helps you hold on. Do that regularly and those muscles can weaken over time, which makes leaks more likely.

Try this instead:

• Eat plenty of fibre from fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and legumes.

• Drink enough water. Fibre needs fluid to do its job (see habit 2).

• Keep moving. Even a daily walk helps keep things regular.

• Sit in a better position. Put your feet on a small stool so your knees sit higher than your hips, lean forward and rest your elbows on your knees. This straightens out the bowel so it empties with far less effort.

• Don't rush. Give yourself time rather than forcing it.

• If constipation is a regular problem, speak to your GP or pharmacist.

6. Hovering over the toilet seat

Plenty of people hover over public toilet seats to avoid touching them. It feels more hygienic, but it's tough on your bladder.

When you hover, the muscles around your pelvis and thighs stay tense to hold you up. That tension makes it harder for your pelvic floor to relax, so your bladder often doesn't empty completely. You might find you need to go again soon after, or that you leak a little once you've pulled your clothes back up.

Rushing has a similar effect. Pushing your wee out quickly to get it over and done with, or standing up before you've fully finished, can leave urine behind.

Try this instead:

• Sit down properly, every time. Use a seat cover or line the seat with toilet paper if that helps you feel more comfortable.

• Lean forward slightly with your feet flat on the floor.

• Let your bladder empty on its own rather than pushing.

• Once you think you've finished, stay seated for a few more seconds, rock gently forward and back, and see if any more comes. This is called double voiding, and it helps make sure your bladder is properly empty.

When you should talk to your GP

Changing these habits makes a real difference for a lot of people, but some changes in your bladder need a proper check-up. Book in with your GP if you notice:

• Pain, burning or stinging when you wee

• Blood in your urine, or urine that's cloudy or smells unusually strong

• A sudden change in how often or how urgently you need to go

• Getting up more than once or twice a night to go to the toilet

• Leaks that are starting to affect your plans, sleep or daily routine

• A feeling that your bladder never fully empties

Bladder changes are common and very treatable. Your GP should be able to refer you to a continence nurse or pelvic floor physiotherapist, who will give you a plan tailored to you.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Everyone's body is different, so you should speak to your GP or a qualified health professional about any concerns or before making changes to your health routine.