Extra grooming time? Upset tummies? The bathroom is becoming the place where people are increasingly spending more of their time, but not for these reasons.
Although we use the this room in our homes (and sometimes at work) for its intended purposes – like going to the loo, washing our hands or bathing – it’s increasingly proving to be a haven during stressful moments.
Bathroom manufacturers Villeroy & Boch decided to find out the less obvious reasons we love bathrooms so much, other than brushing our teeth or doing face masks.
According to its research, people are spending more and more time finding solace in the WC, and the trend is particularly common among young adults.
The study of over 2,000 people revealed 43% like to lock themselves away to enjoy the quiet, with 13% saying they do so just to get time away from their partner.
The average Brit whiles away an hour and 54 minutes a week in the lavvy – the equivalent of almost one working day a month.
Those aged 18 to 24 spend more time relaxing in the bathroom than any other age group, averaging two hours and 36 minutes each week.
But in terms of gender, men are more likely to hole up in the loo than women, spending two hours a week in there compared to one hour and 42 minutes.
There are a range of mental health benefits that come with taking bathroom breaks to escape the chaos of an average day. And some may not even notice they rely on the bathroom to have a breather.
Counsellor Georgina Sturmer, a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, previously told Metro.co.uk why so many of us see the restroom as a chance to escape.
‘We all need coping strategies when life becomes overwhelming and stressful,’ she said.
When something stressful happens, it triggers our fight or flight response – and if you’re somewhere like work, you can’t simply run away. Although we should all feel comfortable to open up to others when things start to weigh on our shoulders, Georgina noted, ‘it’s almost always socially acceptable to take ourselves away for a bathroom break’.
This sentiment was echoed by Kate Cronin, 21, who told us that while at university, she’d often tell her peers she was nipping to the bathroom, not because she needed to go, but because she needed a space to get away.
‘Just leaving the room and standing in the corridor felt wrong and too public, the bathroom felt like I had time to myself to breathe and compose myself, away from everything else,’ she said.
What to do if you’re feeling stressed in the bathroom
The next time you find yourself struggling to calm down after you’ve escaped to the bathroom (or any other room), Georgina suggests using breathing exercises while you’re there.
‘I’m a big advocate of the “five finger breathing” exercise as a way to stay quietly calm without drawing attention to what you’re doing,’ she explained.
‘Hold your hands out in front of you, and trace the index finger of one hand up and down each finger of the other hand. Breathe in as you trace upwards and breathe out as you trace downwards.’
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