Earlier this summer, Gwyneth Paltrow’s website GOOP posted that squatting in the shower to pee can led to better sex because it engages the pelvic floor. The article says “Because your urethra is pointed straight down in this position all you have to do is relax for urine to flow out easily—as opposed to sitting up straight and having to strain to empty your bladder.”

With a celebrity endorsement like that, we imagine there’ll be a lot more women choosing to relieve themselves in the shower. If you live in shared accommodation though, you might want to keep your new habit to yourself…

Gwyneth isn’t the first one to notice the advantages of avoiding the Western toilet-set though.

The Japanese-style “squat toilets” forces users to continually squat over the toilet, forcing them to engage their leg and pelvic muscles. The better posture it creates even makes defecating smoother and quicker; great news for anyone wanting to cut down their toilet time!

Despite the health benefits associated with this design and the celebrity approval, we’re still not convinced that it’s quite enough to convince everyone to start re-designing their bathrooms.

At least you can feel better about yourself when you get caught short on a country walk and find yourself with a lack of nearby facilities.

The medical information in this article is provided as an information resource only and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your doctor for guidance about a specific medical condition.