Too much TV might make you have to wee

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-02-21 19:01

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Have you ever found yourself needing to wee in the night after a hearty netflix binge? Well, you might not be alone, after international researchers found adults who spent five or more hours a day watching TV and/or videos were more likely to develop the need to pee multiple times a night. The researchers looked at data from over 13,000 people from the US, and say that those who reported five and above hours sitting in front of a screen had a 48% higher risk of busting during the night, compared to people who spent a max of an hour in front of a telly. This kind of study cannot prove that all the screentime will directly make you need a nightly tinkle, but the researchers suggest that the people likely to engage in this level of binging might require better behavioural interventions from healthcare professionals to intervene in their time in front of a screen.

Media release

From: Wiley

Does watching TV or videos during the day affect nighttime urination?

In a study published in Neurourology and Urodynamics, adults who spent 5 or more hours a day watching TV and/or videos were more likely to develop nocturia, or the need to urinate multiple times during the night.

The study drew from 2011–2016 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among 13,294 US individuals aged 20 and older, 4,236 (31.86%) reported experiencing nocturia, while 9,058 (68.14%) did not. Participants with 5 or more hours of TV and/or video viewing time per day had a 48% higher risk of experiencing nocturia compared with those with less than 1 hour of daily TV and/or video viewing time.

“As individuals increasingly engage in screen‐based activities, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of extended TV and/or video time on patterns of nocturia is crucial for both healthcare professionals and public health practitioners,” the authors wrote. “For individuals who engage in prolonged TV and/or video time, healthcare professionals can offer behavioral intervention recommendations, encouraging appropriate screen time management.”

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Research Wiley, Web page

Journal/
conference: Neurourology and Urodynamics

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Wenzhou Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Wenling), China

Funder: No information provided.

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