In some bathrooms in Germany, men are required to pee sitting down. Especially when women are living in the flat as well, there is usually a rule that everyone should sit down to pee in the bathroom. And actually, many German men are raised by their mothers to sit down to pee at home.

If you do have to force yourself, here are 10 strategies that may work:

1. Run the water. Turn on the faucet in your sink.
2. Rinse your perineum.
3. Hold your hands in warm or cold water.
4. Go for a walk.
5. Sniff peppermint oil.
6. Bend forward.
7. Try the Valsalva maneuver.
8. Try the subrapubic tap.

This can be caused by damage to the nerves that control the bladder, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, stroke or Parkinson’s. These conditions can interfere with the sensation to wee. The retention of urine causes a decrease in our flow rate and again can cause us to wee at right angles.

Urge incontinence is caused by an overactive bladder muscle that pushes urine out of the bladder. It may be caused by irritation of the bladder, emotional stress, or brain conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke. Many times doctors don’t know what causes it.

Here are some of the dangers of holding your pee: If you don’t empty your bladder often enough, or go a couple of days without emptying it all the way, it can result in a urinary tract infection (UTI). If you hold your pee as a matter of habit, your bladder can start to atrophy. Over time, you may develop incontinence.

Nocturnal enuresis or bedwetting is the involuntary release of urine during sleep. Bedwetting can be a symptom of bladder control problems like incontinence or overactive bladder or more severe structural issues, like an enlarged prostate or bladder cancer.