Peeing in the shower has caused a lot of debate, with some people saying it saves water. But Dr. Alicia Jeffrey – Thomas, a pelvic health expert, warns that there are medical risks, especially for people assigned female at birth.
In this article, we’ll look at all sides – the benefits, drawbacks, health effects, and how much water it can save. By the end, you’ll know enough to make a smart decision.
Understanding the Water – Saving Argument
Peeing in the shower can save a lot of water. If you time your showers with when you need to pee, you could save 2,190 liters (579 gallons) of toilet water per person each year. If everyone in the US did this, we’d save 699 billion liters (185 billion gallons) of water annually. This shows how this unusual habit can help the environment.
Health Effects: Your Pelvic Floor
Even though saving water is great, we need to think about health risks. Dr. Alicia Jeffrey – Thomas, a well – known pelvic health expert, talked about this in a TikTok video. She said that always peeing in the shower could be bad for your pelvic floor and bladder.
- The Pavlovian Association
Dr. Jeffrey – Thomas compares this to Pavlov’s dog experiment. In that experiment, dogs learned to associate a bell ringing with getting food. So, they’d salivate when they heard the bell, even without food. When it comes to peeing in the shower, Dr. Jeffrey – Thomas said, “If you pee in the shower, turn on the faucet, or turn on the shower and then sit on the toilet while the water’s running, your brain starts to link the sound of running water with having to pee.” - Possible Consequences
This link, especially if you have pelvic floor problems, could cause unexpected pee issues. If you often pee in the shower and have pelvic floor problems, the sound of running water (like a stream, faucet, or toilet flush) might make you pee without meaning to. Also, Dr. Jeffrey – Thomas said, “Even if you stand in a strange position [like one leg up high] in the shower, your pelvic floor won’t relax right. So, you won’t empty your bladder well.”
Squatting in the Shower: Is it Helpful?
Some people wonder if squatting in the shower to pee is better. Dr. Jeffrey – Thomas said in another video that it’s still best not to pee in the shower. But if you really need to, squatting fully can help relax your pelvic floor muscles.
The Toilet Flushing Phenomenon
People also ask why flushing the toilet doesn’t make them need to pee. Dr. Jeffrey – Thomas explained that “when you flush the toilet, you’ve already peed. So, it doesn’t create that association.” She also said that everyone’s bladder reacts differently. So, if it’s really hard to hold your pee in the shower, you might have a problem.
Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction is common, especially among women. Here are some key points:
- The pelvic floor is made up of muscles that hold up organs like the bladder, uterus (in women), prostate (in men), and rectum.
- When these muscles get weak or too tight, it can cause Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.
- Symptoms include not being able to control pee or poop, lower back pain, and pain during sex.
- Things like giving birth, having surgery, getting older, being obese, and doing high – impact sports can cause this condition.
Since peeing in the shower might make pelvic floor problems worse, it’s important to know these risks before you start this habit. Also, people assigned female at birth need to be careful. Dr. Jeffrey – Thomas said that women’s bodies aren’t made to pee while standing. So, peeing in the shower could make pelvic health problems worse. Standing to pee might stop the pelvic floor muscles from relaxing, which could lead to not emptying your bladder fully. This can raise the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and other pee problems.
The Pros and Cons of Peeing in the Shower
Before you decide if you should pee in the shower, you need to think about the good and bad things:
- Advantages
- Big Water Savings: Peeing in the shower can save a lot of water every year.
- Fast and Convenient: For many people, it’s just more convenient.
- Disadvantages
- Possible Health Problems: Peeing in the shower could cause problems like pelvic floor dysfunction and trouble controlling your bladder.
- The Water – Sound Link: You might get used to peeing when you hear running water, which could lead to peeing by accident.
- Not Very Sanitary: Even though urine is mostly clean, it can have bad bacteria, which might raise the risk of infections.
The debate about peeing in the shower has many parts. Saving water is great, but we can’t forget about health risks. Dr. Alicia Jeffrey – Thomas’s advice makes us think about how our actions affect our health. As we try to be more eco – friendly, we also need to take care of our health. The choice is up to you, but it’s always smart to make an informed decision.