Peeing in the shower may be something you do every now and again, or the very thought of it might make you grimace. Either way, we know what you're thinking: ‘what on Earth am I actually reading?’ Well, you know we at GLAMOUR aren't one to shy away from, well, any topic at all. Whether it's what your vaginal discharge is trying to tell you, the best position to poop in, or how many times a day you should really be peeing, if it's to do with women's bodies and women's health, no topic is too ‘taboo’ for us.
So, back to peeing in the shower. Turns out, a hell of a lot of us are doing it. In fact, one study in 2020 found that 76% of Brits wee in the shower, with 11% doing it regularly. Admittedly, that study was only of around 1000 people. But the chances all 1000 of them had just coincidentally run out of loo roll? Unlikely.
Firstly, there's obvious environmental benefits to weeing in the shower, as it saves water on flushing the toilet (which uses around 1.3-1.6 gallons of water each time, with about 30% of total water used in a home being used to flush the toilet). But what about health and hygiene?
“Peeing in the shower isn't recommended for pelvic floor function,” says Stephanie Taylor, Intimate Health Expert and Founder of Kegel8. “The pelvic floor needs to be relaxed to pee properly, which is hard to achieve if you’re standing up. When the muscles can’t relax, they're unable to contract fully and will be unable to empty your bladder completely. If you're someone who does this frequently, this could lead to you needing the toilet more before your bladder is full on a regular basis.”
Stephanie continues: “Alternatively, pushing too hard on the pelvic floor to try and empty your bladder, due to not being fully relaxed while standing, will strain the pelvic floor muscles and could lead to conditions such as pain or urge incontinence.”
Lastly, peeing in the presence of running water could create a psychological connection whereby you link going for a wee to the sound of running water. “This could lead to unwanted leaks, as the brain signals to the bladder that you need to go in situations, like when you're doing the washing up or walking in the rain,” explains Stephanie.
So, there you have it. For the sake of a strong pelvic floor, please save your pee for the toilet. Also, it goes without saying that if you share a shower with other people, you probably shouldn't pee in it, pelvic floor or not.
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