The Truth Behind 'Breaking The Seal' Revealed

Everyone knows the old myth about 'breaking the seal.' It refers to when you need to go to the bathroom and are encouraged to hold for as long as possible, for fear of 'breaking the seal' and needing to empty your bladder every 20 minutes for the rest of the night.

It's a real fear and one that many people - especially women - keep in mind whenever they feel an urge to hit the ladies room.

So, is there any scientific evidence behind 'breaking the seal'?

The answer is - kind of.

Sorry to get all science-y on you, but the urge to go to the toilet constantly has more to do with what your drinking than when you decide to pee first in a night.

You see, alcohol messes with your endocrine system, which makes you pee more. Let us explain.

Our bodies use a hormone called vasopressin to regulate how much we pee. The pituitary gland secretes vasopressin, which tells your kidneys to filter less water out of your blood, so you produce less urine and stay hydrated.

When you begin knocking back the cocktails, the alcohol messes with vasopression, and as a result it makes A LOT more water that ends up in your pee, so you feel the urge to release it more often.

Confused yet?

To summarise, you don't need to pee every 10 minutes because you went that one time earlier in the night. It's because alcohol is messing with your body's ability to regulate itself.

The great news, according to Bustle is, you can actually train your body to stop needing to pee as often by holding it a little longer than you normally would each time.

Better yet, scientists say it's not actually bad to hold your pee and your bladder won't burst or erupt if you continue to hold it. You may however pee yourself if you leave it too long - so know your limits.

Source: Bustle