Why Am I Peeing More at Night?
An underlying condition may be the culprit.
Millions of Americans are affected by a frequent need to urinate, especially at night. When a person gets out of bed to urinate one or more times per night, it is defined as nocturia. Nocturia is often a major cause of sleep disruptions.
Trips to the bathroom can cause fragmented sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, and an elevated risk of dangerous falls. Studies indicate that patients who make at least two or more bathroom visits per night have more than double the risk of fractures and fall-related trauma.
How Common is Nocturia?
Nocturia is quite common among both men and women. Studies and surveys have found that 69% of men and 76% of women over 40 report getting up to go to the bathroom at least once per night. About one-third of adults over 30 make two or more nightly bathroom trips.
Despite its relative frequency, nocturia is often under-reported, poorly managed, and inadequately treated. Many patients are reluctant or too embarrassed to mention this problem to their physicians, or they mistakenly believe it is a normal part of aging.
However, causes of nocturia can range from a simple lifetstyle habit to an underlying health condition. Urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney infections, diabetes, and sleep apnea are just some of the underlying health conditions that can cause nocturia.
When underlying conditions are causing nocturia, treating the condition is crucial to reducing nighttime trips to the bathroom.
Thus, it is important to talk to your health care provider if you experience nocturia. A health care provider can help identify the most likely cause and recommend the appropriate remedy.
Is Nocturia Related to UTIs?
Nocturia and nighttime incontinence are common symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTI). Despite this fact, nocturia often gets ignored until the person’s condition has significantly worsened. For people with dementia or in long-term care, UTIs can be especially challenging to diagnose.
For adults over the age of 65, the less detectable symptoms of a UTI like nocturia can lead to ongoing discomfort, chronic poor health, and a higher risk of hospitalization or even death. Studies show that UTIs are the most common type of infection (34%) requiring hospitalization among the elderly in the country.
Ways to Detect UTIs and Reduce Nocturia
Although nocturia is common, there are still steps that can be taken to detect UTIs and reduce bathroom trips.
Newer smartband companies like Somatix have created technology that makes it possible to measure and prevent against UTIs.
Somatix utilizes advanced gesture detection software to analyze nighttime awakening patterns among other variables to check for nocturia and other symptoms. This way, older adults and their care team can detect a UTI in its earlier stages when it is easier to treat.
Several lifestyle changes can also help reduce problematic nocturia. These changes are designed to reduce nighttime urine production and include:
- Reducing evening fluid intake, especially before bed.
- Decreasing consumption of alcohol and caffeine, especially in the afternoon and evening.
- Elevating the legs an hour or more before bed to reduce the resorption and conversion of peripheral edema to urine during sleep.
