Health experts have revealed what a ‘healthy’ wee really looks like and we’re probably all guilty of not doing our bladders any favors.
Ah peeing. It’s such an annoyingly necessary human function which many of us wish we could’ve evolved not to need anymore.
Sat at our desks every day, it can be easy to forget when we last went to the toilet, consumed by the screens in front of us. Or when we’re about to leave the house or go to sleep, we often pop to the loo ‘just in case’ – but here’s why you need to start paying more attention to your bathroom habits for the sake of your health.
How peeing works and potential issues
You’d think it would be fairly self explanatory how peeing works, but let’s dive a bit more into the actual science of it.
Basically, when you bladder starts to fill with fluids, as it balloons up it sends a signal to the brain telling it it’s going to need to be emptied soon.
On one hand, some people ignore this signal – halfway through a meeting or piece of work, it can be easy to find it difficult to tear your focus away and it overpowers your bladder shrieking at you.
On the other hand, some may pop to the loo ‘just in case’ before going out for the day or before tucking themselves in at night.
Both can be equally damaging, messing with the communication between your bladder and brain.
How often do you go to the loo? (Getty Stock Images)
Your brain can either end up learning to ignore the signals for needing to wee and your bladder end up overstretched – its muscles losing the ability to stretch over time and ending up damaged.
Or you can end up visiting the bathroom much more frequently if you’re going ‘just in case’ and your brain becomes even more sensitive, telling you to wee even if you’re not that full of liquid.
But how do you know if you’re peeing a healthy amount and for the healthy amount of time? Well, I present to you the ‘21-second rule‘.
How long are you peeing for? (Getty Stock Images)
The 20-second rule
A group of mechanical engineering students at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted research into the ‘duration of urination’ – quite catchy, right?
The team visited a zoo and found nearly all the mammals they saw took an average of 21 seconds to empty their bladder in a near ‘constant duration’.
In consideration of the research, nurse practitioner who runs MyConfidentBladder.com, PhD Janis Miller told WellandGood explains you can tell if your pee is healthy by counting and seeing if the stream lasts for around 21 seconds.
If you’re a lot short or massively over – you’re going to the loo too often or not enough and need to start analyzing your toilet habits more seriously.
Healthline advises: “If you’re peeing up to seven times in 24 hours, that’s typical. Certain factors can cause you to pee more or less on some days, and it isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. However, in some cases, you may need to see a doctor.”
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Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Kinga Krzeminska/Getty Images/Satjawat Boontanataweepol
Poppy Bilderbeck
Reason why people let out ‘death rattle’ moments before they die
It helps to not get any nasty surprises when preparing for the death of a loved one and to be aware of the ‘death rattle’
Shortly before someone dies they often let out a sound, which is known as a ‘death rattle’, and it’s important to understand why this sound occurs to prepare yourself as best as you can.
Death is a part of life which, unfortunately, none of us can escape no matter how hard we try. And while there’s only so much you can do to ever prepare yourself for the loss of a loved one, there’s certain biological processes that happen which it can be good to be aware of to brace yourself for what you may see – or in this case, hear, the ‘death rattle’ being one of them.
The ‘death rattle’ is part of the dying process (Getty Stock Images)
What is a ‘death rattle’?
A death rattle ‘is a crackling, wet sound that may accompany each breath,’ Healthline explains.
It’s a ‘distinctive sound that a person may make as they are coming to the end of their life’.
The death rattle can sound ‘wet’ or crackly and can vary between each breath.
“Sometimes, the sound is soft and moan-like,” Healthline continues. “Other times it’s loud and sounds like snoring or gargling.”
It can even sound like the person is ‘drowning’ or ‘choking’.
However, the site reassures there’s ‘no evidence’ to suggest the person experiences ‘any pain or anxiety’ during this moment.
But why do you hear it?
The sound typically signifies a person has around a day left to live (Getty Stock Images)
Why you hear it when someone is about to pass
It typically occurs when a person is ‘in a weakened state or is in and out of consciousness’ with someone not having the physical strength to swallow or cough, their breathing subsequently potentially coming across ‘irregular’ or ‘labored’.
Healthline adds: “They may not be physically strong enough to cough or swallow to clear the secretions from the back of their throat. These secretions include normal saliva and mucus production that people usually swallow and clear without difficulty
and may no longer be able to swallow or cough effectively enough to clear their saliva.
“[…] Their breathing may become irregular, and they may take breaths of varying depths. Sometimes the breathing may be described as ‘labored’, or appears difficult for the person. When they take a deeper breath, the death rattle sounds may be louder because the deeper, more forceful breath is moving against the secretions in the back of the throat.”
Sadly, there’s no way to get rid of the sound completely, but there are some things you can to do ‘minimize’ it.
There are certain things which can help reduce the sound slightly (Getty Stock Images)
How to cope with hearing the ‘death rattle’
‘Repositioning a person so they are turned to their side with their head slightly elevated’ can help, alongside monitoring a person’s ‘oral fluid intake’ too.
Medical professionals can sometimes administer certain medicines or mouth care items to help reduce the amount of saliva present, although, Healthline warns: “As a death rattle is often a symptom of the dying process, it may not be possible to eliminate the sound entirely.”
A person typically survives ‘an average of 23 hours after the onset of a death rattle’ so it can signify an important time during the end of life process to gather together and say goodbye, and ensure you have as much support in place as possible to help you through the grieving process.
