By the time you’re old enough to read articles like this, chances are you’ve already mastered the art of peeing, but according to a new study, there’s something else you should be paying attention to when you visit the bathroom. Getting a peaceful and satisfying toilet break is one of life’s simple pleasures, but it turns out that how long you spend peeing—not how far you go—could actually reveal quite a bit about your health.

A group of mechanical engineering students at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted an unusual but fascinating study where they analyzed high-speed videos of animals of all sizes urinating, and they coined a term called the “Law of Urination.” What they found was surprising: animals that weigh more than three kilograms, or about 6.6 pounds, typically empty their bladders in about 21 seconds, while smaller creatures, like rats, took only a fraction of a second. But bladder pressure alone doesn’t tell the whole story; the researchers also discovered that gravity plays a significant role.

Their 2014 study explained that larger animals have longer urethras, which create more gravitational force to help speed up the flow of urine, allowing even animals with huge bladders to empty them in roughly the same amount of time as much smaller ones. So, how does this relate to humans? Well, it turns out that 21 seconds is also the ideal amount of time it should take for us to pee. That’s right—next time you sit down (or stand up) to do your business, you might want to time yourself. If you’re way under or over that 21-second mark, it could be a red flag about how often you’re visiting the restroom. If you’re peeing too quickly, you might be going to the bathroom more than you should, and if you’re taking much longer, you could be holding it in too much.

Neither habit is great for your bladder. Peeing too frequently can lead to an overactive bladder, while holding it for too long increases the risk of developing a urinary tract infection, something nobody wants to deal with. Plus, infrequent urination can even point to more serious health issues like kidney disease, and holding urine for extended periods could also stretch or damage the bladder over time, making it less effective. Urologists also note that if you drink the recommended eight cups of water a day, you should be peeing about eight times daily to stay in a healthy rhythm.

Besides monitoring how often you go, it’s also wise to pay attention to other signs like the color, smell, and clarity of your urine; changes in these areas could signal dehydration or other health concerns that might require medical attention. So while the 21-second rule might seem a bit quirky or even silly at first glance, it actually provides an easy way to keep tabs on your overall urinary health. It’s a simple and harmless practice that might help catch a small problem before it turns into a big one. After all, our bodies often give us subtle hints when something’s wrong; we just have to know how to listen—and sometimes that means timing a bathroom break or two. If you consistently notice that your peeing time is way off the ideal range, don’t ignore it. Bringing it up with your doctor could be an important step toward addressing minor issues early on and avoiding bigger complications later. Embracing healthy bathroom habits, staying hydrated, and not ignoring your body’s signals are all parts of good self-care. So go ahead, drink your water, enjoy those bathroom breaks without guilt, and maybe even keep a mental clock running next time. That 21-second mark might just be one of the easiest health checks you can do in your everyday life, and who knew that something as routine as peeing could reveal so much about what’s going on inside your body?