# Why do sleeping people piss their pants when you put their hand in warm water?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-sleeping-people-piss-their-pants-when-you-put-their-hand-in-warm-water/227469>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 4, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-sleeping-people-piss-their-pants-when-you-put-their-hand-in-warm-water/227469 "2004-02-04T12:58:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![the\_enemy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@the\_enemy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_enemy)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-sleeping-people-piss-their-pants-when-you-put-their-hand-in-warm-water/227469/1 "2004-02-04T12:58:43Z")

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Why do sleeping people piss their pants when you put their hand in warm water?

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**Author:** ![Bibliovore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Bibliovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bibliovore)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-sleeping-people-piss-their-pants-when-you-put-their-hand-in-warm-water/227469/2 "2004-02-04T13:52:53Z")

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> [@the\_enemy](#):
>
> Why do sleeping people piss their pants when you put their hand in warm water?

Maybe the subconcious mind is more succeptinle to the power of suggestion. Some people feel a need to pee when they hear running water, and that’s when they’re awake. So if you’re asleep and your guard is down…

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**Author:** ![brainfizz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@brainfizz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainfizz)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-sleeping-people-piss-their-pants-when-you-put-their-hand-in-warm-water/227469/3 "2004-02-04T14:04:35Z")

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I’ve heard it’s because they think they’re back in the womb when there’s no need for them to hold back their urinary urges.

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**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-sleeping-people-piss-their-pants-when-you-put-their-hand-in-warm-water/227469/4 "2004-02-04T15:10:26Z")

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Welcome to the boards, **The\_Enemy**.

Cecil, the Perfect Master has already [covered this](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_027.html). Essentially, he agrees with **Bibliovore**.