Delaying going to the toilet can be very bad for your bladder.

If you're constantly waiting to go to the bathroom, your muscles may weaken later in life, or more directly, it could lead to urinary tract infections. Many people may resist going to the toilet if they wake up at night and want to.

The average adult's bladder can hold two cups of urine, which can take up to 10 hours. When your bladder is about a quarter full, it sends a message to your brain to give you a little buffer if you wake up at night.

However, if left for too long, harmful bacteria can build up, which can lead to urinary tract infections. If a UTI goes untreated and the infection spreads, it can turn into life-threatening sepsis. Prolonged neglect of the bladder can also wreak havoc on the pelvic floor, leading to uncomfortable dryness (urogenital atrophy) and incontinence of involuntary urination.

Likewise, holding your urine too often can cause your bladder muscles to lose their ability to contract when you need them, leading to urinary retention, where you can't empty your bladder -- even when you want to.