Problem: Article: Staying hydrated is important for your health, but if you're about to board a bus for a long ride, it's wise not to chug water or any other liquid just before boarding. If you can't stand being thirsty, bring a water bottle and wet your mouth with tiny sips throughout your trip, rather than drinking it all at once.  Say no to that large latte or giant soda before you get on the bus! Caffeine is a diuretic, and will cause you to pee more often than usual. If you need your morning coffee, try to drink it well before it's time to get on the bus, so it has time to get through your system. Even worse than caffeine is alcohol, which prompts your body to produce more urine than the same amount of water would do. Avoid drinking it in any form before or during your bus ride. Most buses that will be traveling for more than a few hours have bathrooms these days. You can call ahead and ask the bus line you're traveling with just to make sure. The problem is that bus bathrooms are often less than clean, being very dirty at worst, as they aren't always cleaned for each new trip, and on a full bus there's frequently a line to use them. If the bus bathroom is very dirty, or if there is likely to be a line, then the best approach is to board armed with tips and tricks you can use to hold your bladder for as long as possible, and think of the bus bathroom as a backup you can use if you really have to go. On very long bus rides, there's usually a rest stop or two. Even if the bus doesn't have a usable bathroom, you'll eventually have somewhere to relieve yourself. Again, calling ahead to check on the situation will help you get mentally prepared. If you know when the next stop is going to be, it'll be easier to distract yourself for the allotted amount of time. If you have no idea when you'll get the opportunity to go, holding your pee will feel like endless torture. Remember when your parents made you pee before road trips, even if you didn't have to go? This is especially important when you're about to go on a long bus trip with few or no stops before the destination, and especially if there's not a bathroom on the bus. Take advantage of your last chance to use the bathroom at home so your bus ride will be as trouble-free as possible. For both men and women, the amount of urine that's released from your bladder is controlled by your pelvic floor muscles. The Knack maneuver is an exercise designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles so you'll have more control when it comes to urinating. If you're on a bus and you really need to go, doing the Knack maneuver can send a message to your brain telling it that now's not a good time to pee, and the urge will become less strong. Try this before your trip:  Find your pelvic floor muscles. They're the muscles that tense up when you're holding your pee, or when you stop peeing mid-stream. Tense the muscles, then cough at the same time. Keep the muscles tensed until you're done coughing, then release. Repeat 10 to 15 times every day leading up to your bus trip. If you have a long trip coming up and you predict you're going to have trouble holding your bladder, there's no shame in protecting yourself in case of emergency! Head to the drugstore and pick out some protective supplies so you don't have an accident. Just make sure you put on the diaper before boarding the bus.  Adult diaper products were designed to help people deal with urinary incontinence, but they're commonly used by people with all sorts of needs, like brides with wedding dresses too puffy to remove for a bathroom break. You can buy small protective pads similar to sanitary napkins or larger, full-coverage diapers depending on what you think you'll need.
Summary: Don't drink too much before you board the bus. Check to see that the bus has a bathroom. See if and when the bus will pull over for rest stops. Go while you still have the chance. Strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Consider wearing pads or adult diapers, just in case.

Problem: Article: Though “date night” may sound forced, you and your special someone should aim to have a date night at least once a week, if not more often. You don’t have to call it “date night” if that sounds too cheesy, but you should make a goal to spend some quality time together without anyone else around at least one night a week.  You can do this same thing during date night, such as cooking dinner together and then going to the movies, or spice it up and do something new every time. If you’re staying in, maintain a romantic atmosphere by lighting some candles and playing some soft music.  Whatever you do, make sure you have time to really talk during your special time together.  You won’t be able to talk much if you’re just going to a loud concert together. Learn to say no to others during “date night.” Your girlfriends may be begging you to come out to the bars, but if you’ve scheduled a date night, tell them you can’t make it and make plans for next week. Things will break down if “date night” is the thing you’re always willing to give up. You should always look nice, tell each other how much you love each other, and compliment each other throughout the night. You don’t have to plug this into your calendar, and hopefully you won’t have to, but you should make a conscious effort to make love at least one a week, no matter how tired you feel after work, or how much you have going on that week.  Making love is a way to maintain your intimacy and to grow closer to your partner. You should also spend some time just cuddling and kissing each other, so you don’t feel like you’re just checking “sex” off of your to-do list. Though your schedules may get crazy, you need to make a concerted effort to talk to each other every day, no matter how much work you have to do. You can set aside time to talk during dinner, or to talk over the phone if your loved one is away.  Make a habit of knowing what your loved one’s day was like. Though you don’t have to bore each other with every little detail of your lives, you should become comfortable with each other’s routines. If you’re spending a week apart, set aside at least fifteen minutes a day to catch up and to remind your loved one how much you love and miss him. When you do talk, there should be no distractions. You’re not really talking if you’re also watching the game or checking your phones.
Summary:
Make time for romance. Make love at least once a week. Make time to talk.