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Peeing in the shower – everyone’s done it. If you haven’t, then you’re lying or you may well be following advice from a doctor on TikTok.
In a video posted to the social media platform, Dr Alicia Jeffrey-Thomas – a doctor of physical therapy – explained why relieving yourself under a running stream of water isn’t a great idea.
“If you pee in the shower, or turn on the faucet or turn on the shower and then sit on the toilet to pee while the shower is running, you’re creating an association in the brain between the sound of running water and having to pee,” she said, referencing the Pavlov’s Dogs experiment.
The doctor went on to add that this subconscious link could potentially cause “leak issues” when hearing the sound of running water. She also pointed out that the anatomy of people “assigned female at birth”, [isn’t] designed to pee standing up”.
Jeffrey-Thomas continued: “Even in [a] Captain Morgan pose, your pelvic floor isn’t going to relax appropriately, which means that you aren’t really going to be emptying your bladder super well.”
Her warnings come despite the more environmental argument that peeing in the shower can save water. The Michigan Daily cites statistics which state that a flush of the toilet uses between 1.28 to 7 gallons of water, while urinating in the shower takes up 0.875 gallons of water.
And unfortunately for the doctor, a lot of fellow TikTokers were reluctant to break the habit.
One top comment read: “This sign can’t stop me because I can’t read.”
“I’m just trying to save water, it’s not that deep,” wrote another.
But for one user, Jeffrey-Thomas’ advice was accurate.
“I’m an ocean girl and I’ve peed while swimming my entire childhood and now I feel the urge every time I touch water. I can’t get rid of it,” they commented.
Whatever you think, it’s fair to say that when looking after your body, you really shouldn’t be taking the p***…
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