A healthy bladder can hold about 2 cups of urine before it's considered full. It takes your body 9 to 10 hours to produce 2 cups of urine. That's about as long as you can wait and still be in the safe zone without the possibility of damaging your organs.
In some cases, holding in pee for too long can cause bacteria to multiply. This may lead to a urinary tract infection (UTI). Many doctors recommend avoiding holding in pee for extended periods of time, as it can increase the risk of UTIs, especially if a person has a history of frequent UTIs.
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 as urinary tract infections.
Do pelvic floor muscle exercises. Pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, help hold urine in the bladder. Daily exercises can strengthen these muscles, which can help keep urine from leaking when you sneeze, cough, lift, laugh, or have a sudden urge to urinate.
Your body's physical capacity to keep in urine is based on a few things: "Most of the time women can hold urine for three to six hours, but this will vary," says Brucker.
Increased risks of UTIs: Holding in urine can increase the number of bacteria in the bladder, increasing the likelihood of a UTI developing. Damage to urinary tract structures: Continually holding in urine can cause it to back up to the kidneys, damaging them and the bladder.
Urinary incontinence affects twice as many women as men. This is because reproductive health events unique to women, like pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause, affect the bladder, urethra, and other muscles that support these organs.
Holding your urine for too long can weaken the bladder muscles over time. This can lead to problems such as incontinence and not being able to fully empty your bladder. Holding your urine for extremely long periods of time can also cause urinary tract infections due to bacteria build-up.
Holding in your pee may lead to urinary tract infections or kidney problems.” This is because delaying urination also delays the sterilization of the urinary tract, as ascending bacteria is not flushed out quickly enough.
When you hold your pee for 10 hours or more, you may develop urinary retention, meaning the muscles in your bladder can't relax and let you relieve yourself, even when you want to. In very rare cases, holding your pee can cause your bladder to burst.
Peeing can also be pleasurable because it relieves tension and can make a person more comfortable, especially if they have held in urine for some time. Some report that the feeling of release while urinating is so intense that they have an orgasm or an orgasm-like sensation.
The truth is, there are a number of reasons why men might opt to sit down—and research suggests that more guys do it than might be expected. Data—admittedly, data from 2007, but hey, this isn't studied too often—shows that 42 percent of married men sit down to urinate, presumably due to spousal pressure.