Make sure to always empty your bladder when needed.
There is a simple rule to follow when it comes to urinating.
Taking care of our bodies is important, and this simple trick can assist in monitoring the health of our bladder.
Your urine can show signs of a problem, like blood or cloudiness.
But this trick is about the duration of your pee, not the appearance of your urine.
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The rule was based on a study done by mechanical engineering students at Georgia Tech.
The researchers studied fast videos of animals peeing in various sizes and named it ‘The Law of Urination'.
The research discovered that animals weighing more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) take approximately 21 seconds to empty their bladders. On the other hand, smaller animals like rats only need a fraction of a second to empty their tiny bladders.
The researchers discovered that the duration of peeing is not only influenced by bladder pressure but also by gravity, as explained by IFL Science.
Animals weighing more than 3kg take around 21 seconds to empty their bladders. (Monica Murphy/Getty Stock Image)
The group wrote in the document, which was released in 2014: “How can bladders of both 0.5 kg and 100 kg be emptied in nearly the same duration? Larger animals have longer urethras, and so greater gravitational force driving flow.”
Long urethras in larger animals allow them to empty their big bladders at a faster rate. This helps them accomplish the task in a similar amount of time.
The study provides us with a general guideline on how long humans should spend urinating.
Around 21 seconds is the perfect time, and if you pee for a longer or shorter duration, it may indicate that you either urinate frequently or hold your urine for too long.
Holding in your pee or peeing too often isn't good for your bladder. (Antonio Hugo Photo/Getty Stock Image)
Peeing frequently can cause an ‘overactive bladder', while holding it in for too long can lead to a UTI. Not going to the toilet enough can increase the risk of kidney disease, bladder ruptures, and an enlarged bladder.
Urologist Nicole Eisenbrown suggests that we should aim to urinate for about 21 seconds and go to the bathroom around eight times a day if we drink eight cups of water.
Happy peeing!
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Benjamin Rondel/Jena Ardell
