Everyone Should Sit When They Pee
People with penises: If you’ve been urinating while standing up all your life, it’s time to rethink your position when urinating. Standing is (probably) the most common urination position in the Western world among those with penises, but it is far from universal. Men in some cultures traditionally sit or squat when they urinate, and even among cultural proponents of urination, there is evidence that the paradigm is changing. For example, in Japan , an August 2020 survey found that 70 percent of men were sitting, compared to 51 percent five years earlier. Aside from the cultural conditioning that insists that there are (or should be) gender differences in urination style, there aren’t many good reasons to get up, and there are plenty of reasons to sit.
It is the right choice for those who have prostration problems
If you have an enlarged prostate or other lower urinary tract symptoms, you should probably urinate while sitting. Researchers from the Department of Urology at the Leiden University Medical Center studied how body position during urination affects “maximum urinary flow rate”, “urination time” and “post-urination volume”. Their conclusion: “The sitting position is the best urination position for men with urinary problems, such as an enlarged prostate.”
A sedentary bladder empties more completely, which can lead to fewer complications such as cystitis and bladder stones. This is also an important effect: according to the study, posture can influence “urodynamic parameters … to a degree approaching pharmacological interventions.” The study doesn’t address the optimal urine position for healthy men, but there are plenty of non-medical benefits of choosing a kiosk over a urinal.
Science says it’s cleaner
I doubt anyone who has ever cleaned a bathroom used by men would need scientific proof of the mess that standing creates, but if you need it, physicists Tadd Truscott and Randy Hurd of Brigham Young University have studied “splashing” in detail. caused by standing. urination and presented their results at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Division of Fluid Dynamics of the American Physical Society in 2013.
Using high-speed cameras, their knowledge of fluid dynamics, and a custom-made urination simulation machine called the Water Angled Navigation Guide, these geeks concluded that splashing could be reduced if the urine was directed at a more downward angle. angle, and the urethra is closer. to the goal. You can see how it is demonstrated in this video.
The best way to get that optimal angle and position is to sit down: “Sitting is the best sure-fire way to avoid unwanted splashes in a traditional toilet,” Hurd told the BBC .
Splashes are not just unpleasant, they are a legitimate health concern, especially in hospitals , as they can promote the spread of harmful bacteria.
Controversy over toilet seat position
According to an extensive study done by eccentric stand-up comedians in the 1990s, the decision to sit while urinating would eliminate most domestic disputes in our country, since most of them involve putting the toilet seat down. (Women, huh?)
Less noise
For me, the choice between sitting and standing is situational. I don’t sit in a booth at a baseball stadium or anything, but if I’m at home, I might decide to relax. However, there is one situation where I always prefer to sit: if I am a guest in someone else’s house. It’s quieter and cleaner here, and I like being a good guest.
Large selection is good
I won’t go into details, but seated options provide options that upright doesn’t, and who doesn’t want the freedom to make choices on the fly?
“It’s faster” instead of “What’s the rush?”
One of the main arguments for standing up to pee is that it is faster, more efficient, and more in line with the constant demand for action in our rapidly changing society. Another thing is that “men pee while standing, and women – sitting.” Sitting while urinating is a rebuke to both arguments. It is an act of violating both outdated gender norms and our puritanical work ethic. Sitting to pee shows solidarity with women, men with certain limitations, and men without penises, and strikes at the capitalist monopolization of even our most private moments by stealing a few minutes.
To be honest, I’m mostly in favor, so I have more time to check Twitter. If you’re fiddling with your phone during stagnant pee, it’s only a matter of time before you drop it down the toilet.