How many times do you get up at night to urinate? If it’s just one time and you’re under 70, then you’re the norm.
For older people, twice is acceptable, according to NHS guidance.
However, more common nocturia, the term for needing a WEE in the middle of the night, can be a sign of a serious condition, so experts say not to ignore it.
In fact, it could indicate a urinary tract infection, diabetes, heart disease, or bladder cancer. So here’s what you should do if your sleep is plagued by endless trips to the bathroom…
I have been going to the bathroom at night for as long as I can remember. Is there something wrong with me?
Answer: Probably not. The number of nighttime bathroom visits tends to increase with age, with those over 70 waking up twice, on average, while those in their 90s often need to go four times.
According to Doncaster-based GP Dean Eggitt, going in the evening is usually linked to how much fluid you drank in the evening and how much caffeine, a so-called diuretic that helps reduce fluid build-up in the body, you consumed. throughout the day.
But if there is a change in usual, it may be time to seek medical advice.
“If you’ve suddenly noticed that you’re awake to go to the bathroom at night more often than usual, or you have to rush to the bathroom all the time for fear of getting trapped, you should definitely mention it to your doctor,” says Dr. . Eggitt.
I recently noticed that I started making multiple trips to the bathroom each night. Is this cause for alarm?
Answer: While you should get the problem checked, there’s usually no reason for serious concern, says Dr. Eggitt.
The most common reason for going more is old age. As we age, the body naturally produces a hormone that generally prevents us from needing to avoid the night.
ADH – antidiuretic hormone – regulates the amount of water in the body, with levels increasing during sleep, so we produce less urine.
Newborns have very little ADH, which, together with a small bladder, means that they constantly. As toddlers, their ADH levels increase, allowing them to sleep at night without a diaper. ADH production decreases again after 60, as the pituitary gland in the brain becomes smaller.
For men, prostate enlargement, a common condition affecting more than three million in the UK, can cause more late nights as the gland begins to push on the bladder. As a result, Dr. Eggitt says, you’re already ‘preloaded’ with urine when you go to bed, meaning your bladder fills up.
Women often pass more after childbirth, as the pelvic muscles stretch, making it more difficult to control urine flow.
When should Am I worried?
Answer: If you have other symptoms along with a change in normal habits, there could be more serious causes, says Dr Nicholas Faure Walker, consultant urologist at Princess Grace Hospital, London.
Diabetes can cause nocturia, as high blood sugar increases thirst and bladder irritation, leading to more loo trips.
If the urge to use is accompanied by chest pains, swollen ankles, and sweating, it could indicate a heart condition. Poor circulation caused by heart disease causes the ankles to swell with fluid. When you lie in bed, this fluid is reabsorbed into the blood and passes through the kidneys, creating the urge to use.
If the urge to urinate comes on suddenly and is accompanied by pain, you could have a urinary tract infection.
Can anything ever be life threatening?
In rare cases, nocturia can be a sign of cancer.
Blood in the urine, as well as at night, may indicate bladder cancer. But pelvic and even intestinal cancer can also cause tumors that put pressure on the bladder, making it need more than usual.
In these scenarios, Nocturia will often be accompanied by swelling or bulging of the stomach, which Dr. Walker says will need to be checked.
It’s none of these things, but it’s still bothering me, what can I do?
While there is no cure for nocturia, there are some treatments available.
If it is due to muscle weakness, as women experience after birth, exercises can tone the
pelvic floor and bladder. Kegel balls inserted into the vagina help contract and release the pelvic muscles. For men with enlarged prostates, there are medications to reduce swelling, as well as surgical options.
You can also try what’s known as a double vacuum, says Dr. Eggitt.
He adds: ‘Instead of having to go back to the bathroom in half an hour, try waiting 30 seconds after doing a small one and then try to get more liquid out.’ That little trickle can expel extra urine that may have been stuck in the bladder, and that little squeeze is like the gym for the bladder, making it easier to stay Wee in the future.
Otherwise, experts say to limit fluid intake during the day.
“Try to restrict your fluids within four hours of going to bed,” says Dr. Walker. “Even if you don’t mind the interruption of needing the bathroom all night, your partner will thank you!”
Do bladder problems keep you awake at night? Write to us at health@mailonsunday.co.uk
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