Could Peeing In The Shower Improve Your Sex Life?

A recent article published on Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle blog, Goop, the exposes the secrets of the pelvic floor.  Lauren Roxburgh, a structural integrative specialist, says maintaining a strong pelvic floor is "the key to great sex, a flat tummy and the key to never laying in a supply of Depends.”  How does one achieve a strong pelvic floor?  Well, you can strengthen your pelvic floor in a variety of ways, but one simple way can be done in the privacy of your own shower and requires no effort on your part...

Be honest — Have you ever peed in the shower?  Let us know in a comment below!

If it’s yellow, let it mellow. Or not. Regardless of your toilet habits at home, most people learned they should only pee in their toilets. Which is fine, but, if you’ve got some lady bits, experts say you should actually be more inclined to pee in the shower.

The importance of a healthy pelvic floor. The muscles down there, which are shaped like a sling, hold all of the pelvic organs in place, including the uterus, vagina, bowel and bladder. When women age, these muscles weaken, which often results in urinary incontinence and reduced sensitivity during sex. Many times this means less frequent orgasms.

Pop a squat. Goop suggests that squatting and urinating while you’re showering can help strengthen pelvic floor muscles, which are located between the legs and run from the pubic bone at the front to the base of your spine at the back.

Getting a natural stretch. The site claims that “when you squat to pee as opposed to sitting up straight on the toilet, you automatically engage your pelvic floor and it naturally stretches and tones.” This also increases circulation and blood flow.

Thank your urethra. Due to the location of your urethra, which points straight down when you squat, all you have to do is relax and allow the urine to flow easily from your body. When you sit down to pee, you have to strain to empty your bladder — think of how you may ‘push’ or expel the pee from you when your bladder is really full.

Another secret to getting a strong pelvic floor. In general, deep squats with heel support are extremely good for your pelvic floor. Goop doesn't even even consider it exercise. The website claims that it’s a basic human movement that we’ve stopped doing regularly.

There’s even advice on the best way to pee. The tip says, "It’s important to activate the muscles that you use cut your pee off mid-stream. To do this, contract, pull up, and hold. You should feel a tightening around your vagina, though try not to tighten your butt or upper belly muscles."

Not exactly groundbreaking news… Women everywhere know kegel exercises are important, as they strengthen the pelvic floor and improve sex. Kegels achieve the same thing as shower urinating does — apparently — but with zero mess.

There are a few steps to performing proper kegels. First, contract and release the muscles in your pelvis area. Next, squeeze them for one to 10 seconds and then relax in between five-second intervals. Repeat the cycle of contracting and relaxing 10 times per session. Do this at least three times a day. If you are kegeling properly, you will notice a difference (enhanced sensation during sex, as well as less leakage) in about four to six weeks.

Men can benefit from kegels, too! As men age, they can also experience weakening pelvic floor muscles. This weakening can lead to incontinence of both urine and feces, especially if the man has had prostate surgery.

Finding the pelvic floor muscles in men. It’s difficult for men to identify the correct group of pelvic floor muscles. One way a man can find them is to insert a finger into his rectum and squeeze, without tightening the muscles of abdomen, buttocks or thighs. Another way a man can locate these muscles is by tightening the muscles that keep you from passing gas.

If you’re still having trouble... Practice stopping your flow of urine. You should not practice this regularly because it can strain your bladder, but the occasional halt of your flow is not damaging and can help you locate your pelvic floor muscles.

Biofeedback can also help men locate their pelvic floor muscles. If you have tried all of these options and still are having difficulty locating your pelvic floor muscles, you may want to make an appointment with your doctor.

Caution. If you feel pain in your abdomen or back after kegeling, that’s a clear sign you’re doing them incorrectly. When contracting your pelvic floor muscles, the muscles in your abdomen, back, buttocks and sides should remain loose.

Don’t overdo it! As with everything, too many kegels can be a bad thing. You can tire your muscles, which will make them unable to fulfill their necessary functions.