The Simple Life Hack That Could Help You Pee Less On Long Flights
Flight attendants and passengers with overreactive bladders swear that the trick works.
ekarin / Denis Belitsky / Shutterstock If you’re a frequent flier, you’ve most likely experienced the dreaded feeling of a full bladder while trapped in a cramped plane seat. It can also be quite a hassle to make repeated trips to the restroom (especially when you’re in a window seat).
However, it is also not ideal to go on a long flight without hydrating ourselves. Luckily, one flight attendant shared the hack with a passenger that could spare them numerous restroom breaks and bladder aches, and it all comes down to the kind of water that you drink.
Alkaline water apparently helps you pee less on flights.
Lauren Erro, a TikToker who frequently travels by plane, shared the helpful advice that was given to her by a flight attendant in a video that has garnered over 5 million views.
Before a long flight, the flight attendant recommended that Erro purchase a brand of water that contained alkaline to reduce the number of times she would have to get up to use the restroom on the plane. Erro alleged that this is because alkaline is absorbed into the body better than water that does not contain alkaline.
Some brands of alkaline water that can be found at airports include Fiji, Essentia, SmartWater, and Pulse+.
Other TikTok users thanked her for the advice, sharing that they would be trying it out before their next flights.
“This is the best advice. I can’t deal with my tiny bladder and I hate getting up during flights,” one user commented.
Others also swore by the hack. “I would have to agree. I drank regular water on one flight and Fiji water on another. I peed eight times with the regular and two with the Fiji,” another user revealed.
Erro herself attempted the hack with successful results.
“The Fiji water on a plane works! I drank so much of this big bottle and didn’t have to pee once on my four-hour flight!” she shared in a follow-up video, showing off her decent-sized Fiji water bottle.
“I’d usually be up two times!” she exclaimed.
Medical experts are not entirely in agreement with the flight attendant and Erro’s claims.
According to Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, a critical care and palliative care physician at The Ottawa Hospital in Canada, there is no clear evidence that indicates alkaline water decreases the need to urinate.
“The body has a complex system for regulating pH, and the impacts of alkaline water on this process would likely be insignificant,” Kyeremanteng told Newsweek.
However, this does not necessarily mean that alkaline water is bad for you. Since it has a higher pH balance than plain tap water (with alkaline having an 8 or 9 and tap water having a 7), it is said to neutralize the acid in the bloodstream. Alkaline water can also enhance hydration, improve bone health, and soothe acid reflux.
As for how you can reduce trips to the restroom during long flights?
According to WebMD, you should avoid drinks that are “bladder triggers” including caffeinated drinks such as coffee, soda, tea, alcohol, and soft drinks.
Still, even if you refrain from these drinks and have an overreactive bladder that causes you to pee often, it may be wise to book an aisle seat. This way, you aren’t constantly overstepping your seatmates.
It is also important to empty your bladder at the airport prior to boarding the flight and take minimal sips of water if your goal is to make it to your destination without having to use the restroom once.
At the end of the day, the choice of what water brand you consume on flights is up to you, and whether it is Fiji or Poland Spring, one will not likely force you to go to the bathroom more than the other.
But how much you drink will.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.