Have you ever wondered why people urinate more during the colder months of the year? It could seem a bit surprising as we consume more liquids during the warmer months due to perspiration, but tend to visit the loo for a wee more times during winter. The main reason we visit the toilet more often during winter is because of a concept known as cold diuresis. We’ll look at this phenomenon in more detail and evaluate how it contributes to a higher urinating rate during the winter months.
What is cold diuresis?
Cold diuresis is a phenomenon that leads to the increased production of dilute urine. It occurs after people have been exposed to a hypothermic or very cold environment.
How does cold diuresis occur?
During the cold months, our body attempts to keep the core warm by narrowing the blood vessels and decreasing the flow of blood to one’s skin. This entire process is known as vasconstriction and in layman terms, it happens when heat is lost from one’s skin to the environment. As this takes place, our body attempts to decrease the flow of blood to other parts of our body like toes and fingers.
How does cold diuresis lead to increased urinating?
Contraction in our blood vessels normally leads to a rise in our blood pressure. To normalise the increased blood pressure, our kidney then filters out the surplus fluid from the blood to reduce the entire volume. This further leads to increase of fluid in our bladder which prompts us for a wee. To ensure your body maintains its warmth during winter, it is advisable to empty your bladder when it’s full as a full bladder is believed to contribute to the loss of body heat and an empty one keeps us warmer.
There are a variety of outdoor events and projects that take place during the winter months. In London, there is the popular winter wonderland at Hyde Park, Greenwich Winter Time Festival and a variety of outdoor ice rink venues. There are also a range of Christmas markets organised in and around the capital that attract a large group of people. On the other hand, certain construction projects also occur during the colder months of the year.
With more people requiring a wee during the colder months, it is quite important that event organisers hire sufficient portable toilets and urinals to ensure attendees have an awesome experience during these winter events. For construction sites, it is essential that workers have access to mobile toilet facilities to ensure cold diuresis does not affect their overall performance.
