Going to the bathroom is necessary for everyone, but that doesn’t mean a place “to go" is always available. In most cases, holding it for a short time when you feel the urge to go is not going to be harmful.
However, holding pee for a long period of time and ignoring the urge to go might increase the risk of certain problems, such asurinary tract infections. For those reasons, it’s important not to hold it longer than necessary.
This can be a challenge when there’s no private or sanitary place to urinate, but emptying the bladder regularly is part of good health and can help avoid discomfort.
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How Long Can You Hold Your Pee?
While the human bladder typically holds between 1.5 and 2 cups of fluid,the perception of feeling full varies from person to person. How fast the bladder fills depends on a number of factors, and therefore, there’s no hard and fast rule about how long people can go between bathroom trips. In most cases, however, people can go for 3 to 4 hours between bathroom visits.
Of course, this will also vary based on how much and type of liquid a person is drinking; taking in a lot of water over a short period of time or drinking beverages with caffeine might cause a greater urge to pee.
Some people have an issue where they areusing the bathroom oftenand only actually voiding a little at a time.This could be due to a medical condition such as aurinary tract infection, especially if there’s discomfort while urinating or incomplete bladder emptying due to an enlarged prostate. It could also be due to overactive bladder, which occurs for numerous other reasons.
When there are problems going to the bathroom too much or being uncomfortable, it’s important to see a doctor to rule out a disease or condition that could be causing the problem.
For some people, ignoring the urge to urinate for a time could be part of a process of bladder retraining. If there’s no reason found for frequent urination, a physician might recommend holding the pee to retrain the bladder and reduce bathroom visits. In general, this might include waiting for at least 15 minutes when the urge to pee hits to see if it’s truly necessary to go right away or if it can wait.
Health Risks of Holding Urine
In most cases, holding in urine for a short period of time until there is a time and place to go is not going to be harmful. However, holding in urine is associated with a small increased risk of urinary tract infections or bladder dysfunction (overactive bladder) in the future. This is because the urine standing in the bladder can increase the bacteria growth there. Taking in a lot of fluids and voiding them regularly is the best way to avoid this bacteria overgrowth, which may lead to an infection.
When It Is Finally Time to Go
It is important, once it is time to go to the bathroom, to completely empty the bladder. Take it slow and wait an extra minute or so after having the sensation of being “done.” There might still be more urine in the bladder and it’s better to make sure everything is out, otherwise, there will be another bathroom run a few minutes later.
Things That Might Help You Hold Your Pee
For those times when you need to know how to hold your pee for a short period of time, use one or more of these distraction techniques.
Things That Won’t Help
Things that can make it harder to hold your urine include the following.
The Pelvic Floor and Kegel Exercises
An important aspect of good bladder health is the strength of the pelvic floor.The muscles in the pelvic floor are important in reducing symptoms ofincontinenceand in being able to go longer between trips to the bathroom. Learning how to isolate those muscles and exercise them to make them stronger can be an important part of bladder retraining.
Both men and women may find benefit in pelvic floor therapy. Men may require therapy after prostate surgery to help reduce post-surgery incontinence. Women may benefit if they have mild cases of incontinence or overactive bladder from childbirth, post menopause, weight gain, or pelvic surgeries. Bladder retraining, pelvic floor exercises, biofeedback, and medication might all be used to help treat urinary problems. The physicians who might be involved in treating women withpelvic floor disordersinclude urologists andurogynecologists.
Changes in Bladder Function With Age
There’s a perception thatbladder problems are inevitableas people age, but this is not the case. While there are some small changes in bladder function that come with aging, frequent urination,pain when urinating, and leaking urine are not typical. In some cases, making some adjustments to bladder habits can help compensate for the changes that occur in bladder health with age. However, extreme discomfort or difficulty in urinating should be discussed with a physician to make sure there’s not a more serious condition that’s causing the symptoms.
A Word From Verywell
While holding in urine isn’t necessarily a health risk, it’s best to have healthy bladder habits and to consider bathroom accessibility when drinking fluids. Staying hydrated is important, but being uncomfortable because there’s no bathroom in sight is also a consideration when taking in fluids during the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Possibly. Holding in urine for extended periods is associated with a slightly increased risk of urinary tract infections. This is because bacteria in urine can multiply in the bladder and needs to be flushed regularly.People who are prone to UTIs should avoid holding their pee whenever possible.
Possibly. Holding in urine for extended periods is associated with a slightly increased risk of urinary tract infections. This is because bacteria in urine can multiply in the bladder and needs to be flushed regularly.
People who are prone to UTIs should avoid holding their pee whenever possible.
The human bladder can hold between 1.5 cups and 2 cups of fluid. Most people go between three to four hours between emptying their bladder.
Yes, you can train yourself to hold your urine for longer periods of time. Most people urinate every three or four hours. If you need to visit the bathroom more frequently and there is no medical cause for it, bladder retraining can help.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The urinary tract & how it works.Urology Care Foundation.What is a urinary tract infection (UTI) in adults?University of Nebraska Medical Center.Mind over bladder: to hold or not to hold.Lohsiriwat S, Hirunsai M, Chaiyaprasithi B.Effect of caffeine on bladder function in patients with overactive bladder symptoms.Urol Ann. 2011;3(1):14-8. doi:10.4103/0974-7796.75862National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Kegel exercises.Additional ReadingHanno PM, Burks DA, Clemens JQ, et al. Interstitial Cystitis Guidelines Panel of the American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.AUA guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. J Urol. 2011 Jun;185:2162-2170.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). “The Urinary Tract & How It Works.” National Institutes of Health.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The urinary tract & how it works.Urology Care Foundation.What is a urinary tract infection (UTI) in adults?University of Nebraska Medical Center.Mind over bladder: to hold or not to hold.Lohsiriwat S, Hirunsai M, Chaiyaprasithi B.Effect of caffeine on bladder function in patients with overactive bladder symptoms.Urol Ann. 2011;3(1):14-8. doi:10.4103/0974-7796.75862National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Kegel exercises.Additional ReadingHanno PM, Burks DA, Clemens JQ, et al. Interstitial Cystitis Guidelines Panel of the American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.AUA guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. J Urol. 2011 Jun;185:2162-2170.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). “The Urinary Tract & How It Works.” National Institutes of Health.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The urinary tract & how it works.Urology Care Foundation.What is a urinary tract infection (UTI) in adults?University of Nebraska Medical Center.Mind over bladder: to hold or not to hold.Lohsiriwat S, Hirunsai M, Chaiyaprasithi B.Effect of caffeine on bladder function in patients with overactive bladder symptoms.Urol Ann. 2011;3(1):14-8. doi:10.4103/0974-7796.75862National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Kegel exercises.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The urinary tract & how it works.
Urology Care Foundation.What is a urinary tract infection (UTI) in adults?
University of Nebraska Medical Center.Mind over bladder: to hold or not to hold.
Lohsiriwat S, Hirunsai M, Chaiyaprasithi B.Effect of caffeine on bladder function in patients with overactive bladder symptoms.Urol Ann. 2011;3(1):14-8. doi:10.4103/0974-7796.75862
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Kegel exercises.
Hanno PM, Burks DA, Clemens JQ, et al. Interstitial Cystitis Guidelines Panel of the American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.AUA guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. J Urol. 2011 Jun;185:2162-2170.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). “The Urinary Tract & How It Works.” National Institutes of Health.
Hanno PM, Burks DA, Clemens JQ, et al. Interstitial Cystitis Guidelines Panel of the American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.AUA guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. J Urol. 2011 Jun;185:2162-2170.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). “The Urinary Tract & How It Works.” National Institutes of Health.
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