Experts Say You Should Stop Doing This One Thing Before Boarding a Flight—and Nearly 73% of Travelers Do It
A new study found that most travelers use the bathroom before flying even when they don’t need to, a habit that experts say could make bladder urgency worse over time.
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Depending on your travel habits, flying can often come with a great deal of prep, from checking in and picking seats to grabbing drinks and snacks at the terminal, all while making sure you're on time for boarding. There is, however, one piece of air travel prep experts say you should probably skip: the "just-in-case" pre-flight pee.
In September, AllClear shared the findings of its research on maintaining healthy bladder behavior while traveling. The medical travel insurance company found that nearly 73 percent of British travelers (63 percent of men, and 81 percent of women) go to the bathroom before a flight, even if they don't feel like they need to. Over three-quarters (76 percent) of travelers ages 55 and over do it, as do 62 percent of people ages 18-24. Furthermore, 59 percent of travelers said they avoid drinking fluids in order to avoid needing to use the bathroom on the plane.
And while a trip to the bathroom "just in case" is understandable, it could be doing you more harm than good by amplifying normal bodily sensations and (when done in excess) training your body to respond when there is no real need.
"Anxiety is a powerful amplifier of bodily sensations. When access to a toilet feels uncertain—during boarding, turbulence, or a seat-belt sign—people monitor their bladder more closely. A sensation they would barely notice at home can suddenly feel urgent," said consultant urological surgeon Dr. Grigorios Kyriazis in AllClear's findings, shared with Travel + Leisure via email. "The stress response can also heighten urgency in some people. Changes in routine matter too. Travelers may drink several coffees before an early flight, consume alcohol in the airport , suddenly drink a large bottle of water, or repeatedly visit the toilet. The dry aircraft cabin can also increase fluid loss."
The Best Time to Use the Bathroom During a Flight, According to Experts
According to Kyriazis, an occasional just-in-case bathroom trip isn't harmful, but "repeatedly going when the bladder contains very little, however, can reinforce a habit of responding to increasingly small volumes and make normal sensations feel urgent," he said.
Avoiding water or fluids before a flight can also be harmful. Kyriazis said it can cause unpleasant symptoms like headaches, dizziness, fatigue, constipation, dry mouth, and concentrated urine. "Tactical dehydration is not bladder control. It replaces the fear of needing the toilet with the real effects of dehydration—and concentrated urine may make the bladder feel more irritable, not less," he said.
For most travelers, the answer is simple: Don't overthink it. Kyriazis recommends drinking water as you normally would and using the bathroom when you actually need to. Don't ignore the sensation of having to urinate, but also, don't feel the need to overdo it. "Aim for the middle ground: comfortable, regular emptying, and sensible hydration," he said.
Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
