We've Discovered Why Running Water Makes You Have To Pee
By
Sughra Hafeez in
Facts
On 5th September 2016
There are so many questions we'd like answered about our bodies — like why do I sneeze when I look at the light? Or why do some people's pee smell after eating asparagus?
We have the answers to some of our questions, but not all. While it'd be great if they actually taught you everything in school, they don't. That's why so many of us turn to the internet, hoping someone will know more than we do.
Is there something you're wondering about? Let us know, and we'll see if we can dig up the answer next time!
#1
One thing that a lot of people have questions about are, ahem, bathroom habits.
#2
Like what their poop means or how to speed things up a little.
#3
One thing that most of us have probably experienced (but not necessarily realized) is how running water makes us have to pee.
#5
It turns out the answer isn't as simple as you'd hope.
There's no physiological cause for it, so what could it be?
#6
Just because it's not physiological doesn't mean there isn't a good reason.
The trick here is conditioning, very similar to Pavlov's dogs.
#7
With Pavlov's dogs, he rang a bell every time he fed them.
He noticed that they'd begin salivating just from hearing the bell, without even smelling or seeing food, all because they associated the sound with mealtime!
#8
And it's not that much different when it comes to peeing!
Over the course of your life peeing in a toilet, you got used to hearing a stream of water every time you went to the bathroom. As a result, your body connects the two, creating an autonomic response.
#9
So when you hear running water, you feel the urge to pee.
It's likely to be a small stream that does it, but some people are set off by waterfalls and rivers!
#10
And that's why your mum's old trick of turning on the faucet to help you go always worked!
