How long should you really wait to go to the loo?

How often should you really be going to the loo? Photo / 123RF

When it comes to relieving ourselves, we all have different ways of operating.

Some people are serial procrastinators when it comes to peeing, holding on until the last moment, while others prefer to visit the lavatory well before they need in order to avoid lengthy queues at public restrooms.

But according to science, there is an optimum time period you should wait between bathroom breaks – and going excessively or insufficiently could be silently damaging your urinary health, the DailyMail reports.

As Body and Soul advise, 'it's all about striking the balance' when it comes to healthy bladder habits.

According to the Continence Foundation of Australia, a normal functioning bladder can hold between 300 and 400ml of urine throughout the day and roughly 800ml at night.

Healthy bladders are expected to pass urine five to six times a day.

Continually holding on to urine to the point of pain or discomfort can lead to uncomfortable urinary tract infections, akin to the feeling of burning or sharp blades when peeing.

UTI symptoms include sudden urges to pee even if you've just been to the loo, as well as deep yellow or cloudy colouring in your urine.

Holding on for too long also leads to a risk of problems like vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) or pyelonephritis (kidney infection).

According to Mayo Clinic, Vesicoureteral reflux is the 'abnormal flow of urine from your bladder back up the tubes (ureters) that connect your kidneys to your bladder'.

The disorder increases the risk of urinary tract infections, which, if left untreated, can lead to kidney damage.

But while it's inadvisable to avoid the bathroom for too long, it's also poor practice to go too often.

This habit trains the body into thinking it 'doesn't need to be full' before emptying.