Latest news with #LawofUrination
Arab Times
10-07-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
How long should you really take to pee? Experts weigh in
NEW YORK, July 10: Many people don't give much thought to how long they spend in the bathroom, but researchers say there is an optimal duration for a healthy pee — and it's tied to overall health. The magic number? About 21 seconds. According to scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology, 21 seconds is the ideal length of time for urination. Long enough to hum the chorus of Happy Birthday but not quite long enough for Bohemian Rhapsody. This '21-second rule' comes from the researchers' discovery of the so-called 'Law of Urination.' They investigated how animals of vastly different sizes manage to empty their bladders in roughly the same amount of time. By timing video clips of mammals urinating, they found that animals weighing over three kilograms take about 21 seconds to fully empty their bladders, regardless of size. How does this happen? It's physics. Larger animals have longer and wider urethras. The increased length boosts gravitational pressure to push urine out faster, while the wider diameter reduces resistance. This means even an elephant, with a bladder many times larger than a dog's, finishes peeing in about the same time. Humans follow this pattern too. Most adults take roughly 20 to 25 seconds to urinate at a relaxed pace, making the 21-second mark a useful, though flexible, benchmark. While you don't need to time yourself on the toilet, sudden or consistent changes in how long you take to pee can signal health issues. Very short durations combined with frequent urges might indicate an overactive bladder or other urinary problems. On the other hand, much longer times could suggest urinary retention, prostate enlargement in men, or nerve issues. Experts also warn against holding urine for too long, as this can overstretch the bladder over time and increase the risk of infections and other complications. Though 21 seconds isn't a strict rule for everyone, paying attention to your usual bathroom habits can help detect early signs of health problems. So next time nature calls, consider whether your visit fits the healthy 21-second window.
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
The exact amount of time it should take to pee – and when it signals a serious health problem
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ALTHOUGH it's often a hush-hush topic, going to pee is something we all need to do. After all, what we guzzle down, must come out. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Spending too much, or too little, time peeing can be a sign of underlying health conditions Credit: Getty But the stream doesn't always run so smoothly down there and knowing what's normal and what's not, can help you work out when there is an issues. It turns out spending too much time, or too little can be dangerous and a sign of hidden underlying health conditions, experts have warned. It should only take you an around 21 seconds to completely empty your bladder, according to US researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology. And if you're spending much longer peeing, you could be holding in urine for too long, which can lead to your bladder expanding too much. This is because the average bladder holds between 400ml and 600ml, roughly one pint, and people typically need to pass urine four to eight times a day. However, experts have warned that waiting until you're bursting before going to the loo puts you at a higher risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs), which can lead to life-threatening kidney infections. On the other hand, frequent short visits to the toilet may point to an overactive bladder, where the body feels an urgent need to urinate even when it is not full. The 21-second rule, which researchers described as the 'Law of Urination,' applies to all mammals weighing over 3kg. The scientists behind the finding received an IG Nobel Prize in 2015, a satirical award that honours unusual or humorous scientific achievements, after analysing footage of various animals peeing. But the health risks of ignoring the urge to go are anything but amusing. I haven't peed in SIX YEARS and never will again - I live in constant agony and it could kill me Chris Blick, a consultant urological surgeon at the Princess Grace Hospital, said: "Generally speaking you shouldn't force yourself to wait until you are desperate to urinate. "Occasionally, this technique may be used as part of bladder retraining to support patients with overactive bladders." He told MailOnline: "Holding on too much can be painful and, if you have a urine infection, can make you feel unwell. "If you regularly hold in your urine, over time this can cause your bladder to stretch." Peeing too often, he said, will "potentially train your bladder to empty when it doesn't need to, and can create a habit leading to unwanted frequency of urination."
New York Post
08-07-2025
- Health
- New York Post
How long should you really take to pee?
It turns out there really is an answer to the question: 'How long should I pee?' You might not think much about the time you spend on the loo. But according to researchers, there's an average 'just right' duration for a healthy wee – and it's linked to your overall health. The magic trickling number is 21 seconds. 5 Scientists revealed '21 seconds' as the ideal duration for a healthy pee phoenix021 – Long enough to hum the chorus of Happy Birthday but not quite long enough for Bohemian Rhapsody. This '21-second rule' has come from a group of researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology, who developed the 'Law of Urination'. And, while it sounds like a fun pub trivia fact, it actually reveals a surprising truth about how our bodies work, and why big changes in your bathroom habits could signal something is up. The science behind the 21-second Law of Urination Researchers at Georgia Tech set out to answer a deceptively simple question: how do animals of vastly different sizes manage such similar bathroom times? They spent their days streaming (see what I did there) and timing clips of animals emptying their bladders. They discovered that mammals weighing over about 3 kilograms tend to take around 21 seconds to urinate, no matter their size beyond that threshold. 5 According to researchers, big changes in bathroom habits could signal something is up Dubo – How is that even possible? It's all about physics. Larger animals have longer and wider urethras. The extra length increases gravitational pressure, pushing urine out faster, while the wider diameter reduces resistance. The result: even though an elephant's bladder holds many times more than a dog's, both can finish in roughly the same time. Evolution seems to have fine-tuned mammalian plumbing for efficient emptying in about 20 seconds. 5 Even though an elephant's bladder holds many times more than a dog's, both can finish in roughly the same time Michele Burgess – What it means for humans Humans fit this pattern, too. Most adults typically take around 20–25 seconds to fully empty their bladders at a normal, relaxed pace. Health professionals sometimes refer to this '21-second rule' as a loose benchmark. 5 Most adults typically take between 20-25 seconds to fully empty their bladders Mihail – Don't start taking a stopwatch with you to twinkle, but big changes in how long you take to pee can be worth noting. Consistently much shorter durations, especially with frequent urges, might indicate an overactive bladder or other urinary issues. Taking much longer could suggest urinary retention, prostate enlargement in men, or nerve-related problems. 5 Holding in for too long can also increase the risk of infections and other compications Pixel-Shot – Holding it in too long can also overstretch the bladder over time, increasing the risk of infections and other complications While 21 seconds isn't a rigid rule for everyone, significant changes from your normal pattern can be an early sign to check in with your doctor. Something to keep in mind the next time nature calls.
