London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 22, 2025

Why you should never pee ‘just in case’ before you leave the house

Why you should never pee ‘just in case’ before you leave the house

‘Do you need to go to the toilet before we leave?’

It’s a question many of us heard as children. And for parents of little kids, it makes total sense: nobody wants an accident five minutes after you’ve left the house.

As adults, though, it means that many of us are still in the habit of popping to the loo ‘just in case’ before an event, whether it’s a long car journey or a meeting with the boss.

But Tiffany Sequeira, a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist who goes by Gynaegirl on social media, says this overly cautious practice could be wreaking havoc on your pelvic floor.

‘It’s actually a really bad habit for your bladder,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.

‘Going for a wee when you don’t feel the immediate need to do so strains your bladder to empty, when it isn’t actually full yet.’

If you do this on the regular, you’re confusing the signals between your bladder and brain.

‘Generally, as the bladder fills, the stretch of urine pressing against the bladder wall creates signals to your brain that results in the following series of urges, eventually resulting in you making it to the toilet and passing urine,’ Tiffany explains.

‘Going on that first signal to pass urine – or even worse going when you don’t feel the urge to pass urine “just in case” – can result in a bladder signaling dysfunction. Over time your bladder becomes accustomed to passing urine at a lower capacity than normal resulting in a “weak bladder,” as some refer to.’

Keeping your bladder and pelvic floor in tip top condition is especially important for women, who are more prone to urinary incontinence. Data suggests around 70% of women aged 35 and 65 struggle with it, but stigma stops many of us talking about it.


So, how can you keep your pelvic floor healthy?


As well as only peeing when you need to, Tiffany recommends getting acquainted with your pelvic floor – a group of muscles and ligaments that support the bladder, uterus and bowel.

‘Everyone should be practicing their pelvic floor exercises but they’re especially important if you’re someone who feels they need to wee frequently, often only passing small amounts of urine,’ says Tiffany.

To complete an exercise, imagine you’re trying to stop yourself from doing a big old fart.

‘Squeeze and pull up the muscles from your back passage,’ she adds. ‘You should be able to feel the muscle move. Now at the same time imagine you are also trying to stop yourself urinating and pull those muscles up. You are now contracting your pelvic floor muscle.’

If weeing is a bigger problem, visit your GP or a pelvic physiotherapist for advice.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
×