Why do men pee while standing?

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Some men will urinate standing, while others will pee sitting down. And some men will flit between one and the other (not during urination, of course) depending on their mood. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but whichever one you go for needs to be done properly. 

How do you pee properly? Men and women might have differing ideas. Here are some tips on how to urinate properly (standing or sitting), and some good toilet hygiene habits to get into when going to the toilet. 

Should men sit while urinating?

Both methods have their advantages. The obvious advantage to sitting is not having to worry about missing the bowl. If you’re really unlucky, you might end up peeing through the gap between the seat and the edge of the bowl. But that’s unlikely, so you can relax. And relaxation is key. Sitting to pee is also a break in the day – a bit of time for self-reflection.

Sitting down to pee also has some health benefits. If you have a prostate condition or you can’t stand up for long periods, peeing while seated allows you to use your abdominal muscles to empty your bladder more easily.

But men who pee while standing will have chosen their method for a reason. It’s faster than sitting down – there’s a reason why the queues outside men’s and women’s public toilets are so different. There’s also more freedom. You don’t have to worry about uninviting toilet seats, and you’ve got the ability to use a urinal if all the toilets are busy.

How to urinate properly

Urinating, sitting or standing, has rules. Here’s what you need to remember next time nature calls.

• The seat. All men who pee while standing will try to avoid touching the seat, relying solely on their skills of geometry. But splashes and miscalculated angles will still require some clearing up. It’s quicker and more hygienic to lift the seat in the first place, which makes any clean-up operation a bit easier.

• Positioning. Some mornings, urinating while standing is a lottery. It’s not your aim that’s off, it’s your body that might not have fully woken up yet. It’s best to sit down first thing. 
• Relax. It’s possible you might struggle to get started if you’re peeing in a public toilet. Think calming thoughts, give yourself a slow countdown, or think of a thunderous waterfall. And remember: the guy next to you isn’t looking at you or noticing you haven’t started peeing yet. Chill. 
• Take some time. You might think you’ve finished peeing, but your body might not agree. Zipping up too soon can lead to needing to clean up more than just the toilet seat. 
• Put the seat down. It’s a simple, courteous touch that’ll make a different to whoever’s using the toilet next.

So, should men sit while urinating? Perhaps. But taking a bit more care will eliminate many of the common problems during standing urination. Try alternating between sitting and standing from time to time, you (and your partner) might appreciate the difference it can make. 

If you’re looking for some more toilet tips, why not find out our take on the best way to wipe properly?