How Many Times a Day Should You Pee

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The Unmentionables is a series that answers common questions we all have about our bodies but are sometimes afraid to ask.

Maybe you never make it through a movie without running to the bathroom at the most exciting part - especially after your favorite beverage and a jumbo popcorn. Some of us were the kids who always needed a bathroom pass at school, while others could make it through a long road trip without a rest stop. These differences between people are normal. But maybe you've noticed some changes in how often you pee and you're wondering if it's something to be concerned about.

Let's take a closer look at common things that affect how often you pee and when you'll need to seek medical care.

How many times a day is it normal to pee?

Like many functions in the human body, how often you pee can vary. On average, adults pee between four to seven times a day. More or less often can also be normal.

You may be peeing too often if you feel like you need to pee right after you have just finished using the bathroom. Another sign that you might be peeing too much is if you're peeing a lot but still feel thirsty throughout the day.

A few everyday factors and some health conditions could affect how much and how often you pee.

What factors affect urinary frequency?

There are several factors that can affect how much you pee, like your age, the amount of fluids you consume, and the types of beverages you drink.

Your age

As you age, the action of the kidneys, bladder, and muscles in the pelvis can change. This can play out in different ways to make you pee more or less often. After childbirth, changes in the pelvic floor can make you pee more often. And changes to the prostate, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), affect how easily urine flows from the bladder through the urethra.

How much you drink

When it comes to liquids, what goes in must come out. In general, the more fluids you take in, the more you'll pee. There aren't any strict recommendations for how much to drink each day. But it's important to pay attention to signs like thirst and the color of your pee to make sure you're getting enough fluids.

What you drink

Drinks with caffeine and alcohol can make you pee more. If they irritate your bladder, you might be running more often to the bathroom but peeing in smaller amounts.

What medical conditions can affect how often you pee?

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs): UTIs are a common cause of peeing more often. Some symptoms can be signs that you might have a bladder infection. Symptoms of a bladder infection could include feeling a sense of urgency or pain when you pee, or noticing a change in the color or smell.

• Diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2): The kidneys try to get rid of extra sugar in the blood through urine. People with high blood sugar may notice that they're thirstier and need to pee more often.

• Diabetes insipidus: This is a different kind of diabetes. In this type, your blood sugar is normal, but your kidneys can't concentrate the urine. So, people with diabetes insipidus put out lots of pale, water-like urine.

• High blood calcium levels: The kidneys get rid of the extra calcium by making more urine. It's a less common cause of frequent urination, though.

• Pressure on the bladder: Examples of things that put pressure on your bladder include fibroids, pregnancy, constipation, an enlarged prostate, and having a BMI over 30.

• Overactive bladder: An overactive bladder can also make you pee more often. Possible causes of an overactive bladder include changes in hormones, medications, nerve damage, or weak pelvic muscles.

What does it mean if you can't hold your pee?

Sometimes, pee leaks out. When you can't hold your pee, that's called incontinence. There are a few kinds of incontinence, and they're treated in different ways:

• Stress incontinence: This is when pee leaks out when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise. It's more common in people with weaker pelvic floor muscles. It's treated with exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles or, sometimes, surgery.

• Urge incontinence: This is when you lose urine because you can't make it to the bathroom on time. It's treated with medications, exercises, or surgery.

• Overflow incontinence: This happens when the bladder doesn't empty like it should, which can cause some pee to dribble out. It's managed by treating the condition that's affecting the bladder or the nerves to the bladder.

Can medication cause you to pee more?

Many medications have side effects that affect how often you pee. Some of the more common medication groups that can do this include:

• Certain blood pressure medications (like amlodipine)

• Diuretics or water pills (like hydrochlorothiazide)

• Sedatives (like lorazepam)

• Medications for mental health conditions (like lithium or sertraline)

Is it normal to wake up at night because you have to pee?

Waking up at night to pee becomes more common as you age. But, at any age, if you drink a lot of fluids before bed - especially with caffeine or alcohol - you might find yourself making a middle-of-the-night bathroom run.

If peeing at night is happening more often or seems to be getting worse, it could be a sign of a medical condition.

When should you seek medical care for peeing-related issues?

Talk to a healthcare professional about any symptoms that are new, bothersome, or are getting worse. Some things that you should get care for right away include:

• Blood in your pee or a significant change in color, especially if it's pink, red, or brown

• Pain or burning when you pee

• New incontinence

• Back pain or fever

• Urine that's hard to pass

• Discharge from the penis or vagina

• New or worsening weakness or fatigue

• Unintended weight loss

• New or worsening confusion, especially in older adults

Frequently asked questions

The Unmentionables is a series that focuses on common curiosities about our bodies that, at some point, have been labeled as taboo, shameful, or embarrassing. But these are important questions we all have about our health, and we should be able to ask them. This series aims to dispel the stigma, normalize the discussion, and openly address these important health topics.

Don't be shy. Someone else has the same question, so ask away!

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