Everyone is unique, as is the case with many things in life. This is also true for normal urinary frequency, which varies from person to person. Many variables influence how often you pee, including your age, what and how much you drink in a day, any medical disorders such as diabetes or a urinary tract infection, medication administration and bladder size.

Special conditions, such as pregnancy and the weeks following childbirth, might also influence how frequently you urinate. A woman urinates more often during pregnancy due to fluid changes and bladder pressure from the developing foetus. A woman’s urine output will be elevated for up to eight weeks after giving birth. This is due to the additional fluids she may have gotten via an IV or treatment during childbirth, as well as the body’s normal response to mobilise and remove fluids after birth.

However, the average person’s urine cycle spans between 4 to 10 trips to the bathroom in 24 hours, although it’s not uncommon to urinate more or less on any given day. A person with a regular urinary cycle will also have adequate notice before the moment of urinating and will not find it difficult to wait a few minutes before using the bathroom. Furthermore, if the individual drinks 2-4 litres of water each day, they should be able to wait at least 2 hours between trips to the restroom.

But, if you’re always thinking about urinating, looking for a bathroom, or peeing so much that it’s harming your quality of life, you may have incontinence or overactive bladder syndrome. While the humiliation and worry associated with the symptoms of frequent urination are understandable, failing to manage it may aggravate the problem. As a result, if you feel that you no longer have a regular urinary frequency, or if your work/life/sleep are being disrupted by frequent trips to the bathroom, it may be a good idea to see a doctor.