Ladbible X Whatsapp
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Scientists advise everyone to follow '21 second rule' when weeing to stay healthy

Home> News> Health

Published 10:43 16 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Scientists advise everyone to follow '21 second rule' when weeing to stay healthy

Peeing for too long or short a time could be a sign of health issues

Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper

Featured Image Credit: (Getty Stock Images)

Topics: Health, Science

Brenna Cooper
Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper is a journalist at LADbible. She graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in History, followed by an NCTJ accredited masters in Journalism. She began her career as a freelance writer for Digital Spy, where she wrote about all things TV, film and showbiz. Her favourite topics to cover are music, travel and any bizarre pop culture.

X

@_brencoco

Advert

Advert

Advert

Scientists have shared a universal '21 second rule' peeing rule, which is important for a healthy body.

It's safe to say that most of us probably don't track how often and how long we're using the toilet every day.

However it might be worth busting out your phone timer or counting to 21 next time you sense the urge to empty your bladder - and there's a very important reason why.

Time to start tracking how long it takes you to pee. (Getty Stock Images)
Time to start tracking how long it takes you to pee. (Getty Stock Images)

Advert

Now counting the seconds that you urinate may sound a little random, but trust us on this one as there's actually Nobel prize winning research behind it.

Well, Ig Nobel Prize award winning. But it's still pretty impressive nonetheless.

What is the 21 second law of urination?

Pioneered by a group of scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the 'Law of Urination' is the idea that any mammal who weighs over over three kilograms (6.6 pounds) need around 21 seconds to completely empty their bladder.

Now you may be wondering 'why 21 seconds specifically' or 'why couldn't they round it down to a neater 20 seconds?' - well it's all to do with the laws of gravity.

Advert

Researchers spent a good deal of their time analysing videos of various animals peeing at high-speed in order to gain a better understanding into why most mammals pee the way they do.

Which certainly sounds like a fun way to spend your days.

The scientists then published their findings, alongside the argument that 'gravitational force' is the main factor in peeing length.

"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," the team penned in their research paper.

The study is based off watching various videos of animals peeing. (Paul Mansfield/ Getty Images)
The study is based off watching various videos of animals peeing. (Paul Mansfield/ Getty Images)

Advert

"These long urethras increase the flow rate of larger animals, enabling them to perform the feat of emptying their substantial bladders over approximately the same duration."

How does this relate to humans?

The question you're now probably wondering is 'how does this relate to humans?'. The answer is because the study gives us a general rule of thumb regarding how long we should be spending on the toilet.

Nurse Janis Miller, PhD told Well and Good you can use the 21 second rule to 'educate yourself into a good wellness pattern'.

Not every trip to the loo will last 21 seconds exactly, however it's a rough guide to be aiming for.

Advert

If you're finding that you spend a lot longer to empty your bladder or make multiple trips to the loo, it could lead to problems down the line.

Irregular or infrequent weeing could be a sign of larger issues. (Getty Stock Images)
Irregular or infrequent weeing could be a sign of larger issues. (Getty Stock Images)

If you're peeing for significantly longer than 21 seconds all the time, your bladder may expand, eventually losing its ability to stretch and stop working as it should.

Holding your pee in for too long too frequently can lead to UTIs or kidney issues.

Pee too often and you could have what's called an 'overactive bladder' - when you feel the urge to pee even if your bladder isn't full.

Advert

As for how many pee breaks you should be taking a day, urologist Nicole Eisenbrown has advised that we should be emptying our bladder eight times a day if you're drinking the correct amount of water.

Choose your content:

an hour ago
  • an hour ago

    Man, 92, found guilty of murder of woman nearly 60 years ago in UK's 'longest cold case'

    75-year-old Louisa Dunne was murdered in her Bristol home in 1967

    News
  • an hour ago

    'Marriage destroyer' holiday hotspot where Brits 'can't stop cheating' revealed

    Time to cancel those flights

    News
  • an hour ago

    Brit ranked no.733 in world won't receive £99k prize money despite shock first round win at Wimbledon

    Oliver Tarvet won't see the money because of a sporting rule

    News
  • an hour ago

    Police in frantic search for victim's head after reality star girlfriend charged with murder

    Police believe he was killed nearly two weeks ago now

    News
  • Scientists explain why you should follow the 21-second rule when weeing and what could happen if you don’t
  • Scientists discover 'third state' beyond life and death in major breakthrough
  • Harvard scientists create 'brain scorecard' that tells you your risk of cancer, dementia and depression
  • Carnival Cruise Line confiscates child’s toy over specific rule everyone must follow