Good night sleep is essential; it keeps our morning fresh and active. But when we wake multiple times at night to urinate, it can disturb our good night sleep. We are not able to concentrate on our work when we didn’t get enough sleep at night. Frequent nighttime urination is also known as nocturia.
In nocturia, a person wakes up more than two times a night. Nocturia is common in adults over age 60. Don’t get confused with nocturia with the bed-wetting. Generally, at night, the body produces less urine to sleep peacefully for 7 to 8 hours. But when you wake up multiple times in a night, your rem sleep gets disturbed. Most people wake up at least once at night for urinating, but continuous, frequent urination at night is due to some health conditions.
As we grow older, both men and women face the problem of nocturia.
Causes of nocturia:
Sometimes our habit of drinking too much water before going to bed can cause nocturia. Intaking caffeine and alcohol can also cause nocturia.
1. Health conditions
Several health conditions can cause the problem of nocturia. The most common cause of nocturia is urinary tract infection and bladder infection. The bacteria in the bladder and kidney can cause the problem of frequent urination at night. Doctor may recommend medicines that kill the bacteria in your urinary system.
Frequent urination also knows as Overactive bladder wake you up multiple times at night for urination. People who have diabetes are most likely to suffer from frequent urination problems. When we are under stress, we are not able to get the good sleep.
Tension and anxiety can cause the problem of frequent urination at night. Some other causes of nocturia include an enlarged prostate, organ failure and tumours.
2. Pregnancy
The pregnant woman can suffer from the problem of nocturia when growing womb puts pressure against the bladder which cause the frequent urination problem
3. Medication
Some medication can also cause nocturia, especially medication used for blood pressure. In such a case, you need to consult with your doctor about the urination problem that you are experiencing. Excessive vitamin D, lithium, water pills can cause frequent urination at night
4. Lifestyle problem: Drinking coffee or alcohol before going to bed can cause urination problem at night. Excess fluid intake before going to bed can cause nocturia. Some people have a behavioural pattern that they tell their bodies to wake at night for urination even if they don’t have to go to the bathroom. Some people have the habit of waking up at night for urination which leads to nocturia.
5. Sleep disorders such as insomnia can cause nocturia.
Diagnosis
You doctor will ask you several questions to find out the status of your bladder. The question will be related to the frequency of urination, urination volume, diet, sleep pattern, medication and health problem. To find out the causes of nocturia, the doctor may ask you to undergo several tests. The urinalysis test will check your urine and determine the health of your kidney.
How to stop frequent urination at night
Treatment:
1. Restrict fluid intake before going to bed can solve the problem of nocturia. Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine before going to bed. Avoid drinking water, caffeine and alcohol atleast two hours before going to te bed. Try to increase the intake of foods that are good for your bladder.
2. If you are taking diuretic pills, you have to intake those pills six hours before going to sleep.
3. When you get disturbed sleep at night, you can take a little nap in the afternoon to feel better. But be careful with nap time and duration so that you get peacefully sleep at night. Nap allows the body to absorb the liquid.