{"id":16629,"date":"2020-09-25T12:38:48","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T19:38:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleepjunkie.org\/?p=16629"},"modified":"2024-03-31T10:51:20","modified_gmt":"2024-03-31T17:51:20","slug":"nocturia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthysleep.org\/sleep-disorders\/nocturia\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know About Nocturia & Nocturia Treatments"},"content":{"rendered":"

About 1 in 3 adults<\/a> over the age of 30 experience nocturia, the frequent need to urinate at night. This constant disruption during sleep can cause long-term problems like extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, and an overall decrease in health and daytime functioning.<\/p>\n

Nocturia can be caused by many factors, from simple things like an excess of fluid intake prior to bed, to more serious issues such as sleep disorders and underlying health conditions. If you\u2019re one of the 50 million people<\/a> in the United States suffering from nocturia, you\u2019ll be happy to know there\u2019s an array of natural solutions and lifestyle changes to help treat it.<\/p>\n

In this post, we explain exactly what nocturia is, what causes it, common symptoms, and various ways to prevent it. Overcoming nocturia and learning how to prevent it is an important step for ensuring you enjoy quality sleep and get a good night\u2019s rest.<\/p>\n

What is Nocturia?<\/h2>\n

Nocturia is a condition causing you to wake up two or more times a night to urinate. As people age, nocturia becomes more common in both men and women.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s typical for most people to wake up during the night to urinate once, but more times than that may be the sign of an underlying condition, sleep disorder, or other cause. Even simple daily habits like drinking too much water may be the cause of nocturia.<\/p>\n

Causes of Nocturia<\/h2>\n

According to a study by Creighton University Medical Center<\/a>, nocturia is typically caused by one of four main problems: nocturnal polyuria, global polyuria, bladder functional storage issues, and sleep disorders. However, other factors like health conditions, pregnancy, and simple daily habits can also be the cause.<\/p>\n

Nocturnal Polyuria<\/h3>\n

Found in up to 88 percent of patients, nocturnal polyuria is the most common cause of nocturia. Nocturnal polyuria occurs when a nighttime urinary production is greater than 20 percent of a total 24-hour urine volume in younger adults, and 33 percent in older adults.<\/p>\n

Anyone with nocturnal polyuria will only experience a high urine volume at night; daytime volumes are reduced or normal. Oftentimes, this is caused by the body retaining fluid during the day which accumulates in the legs and feet. Upon lying down, gravity sends the fluid back into your veins, and off to your kidneys to be filtered, turning into urine.<\/p>\n

According to the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>, nocturnal polyuria can be caused by congestive heart failure, edema of the lower body, drinking too much fluid before bedtime, and having a diet high in sodium. It can also be caused by sleep disorders, which we will discuss shortly.<\/p>\n

Global Polyuria<\/h3>\n

Where nocturnal polyuria happens during periods of sleep, global polyuria occurs throughout the day and night. It\u2019s essentially a continuous overproduction of urine. Global polyuria is usually caused by too much water filtered by the kidneys and is often associated with high fluid intake. It can also occur if something in the urine, like glucose, is pulling the extra water out. Untreated diabetes can often cause polyuria.<\/p>\n

Common causes of global polyuria include high fluid intake, untreated diabetes, diabetes insipidus, and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy.<\/p>\n

Bladder Functional Storage Issues<\/h3>\n

Anyone with bladder storage issues struggle with urinating more frequently because their bladder is unable to fully empty when urinating. Without fully emptying, the bladder then fills up quicker, causing the need to urinate yet again. Bladder obstruction and benign prostatic hyperplasia can both lead to this issue.<\/p>\n

Bladder functional storage issues can also be caused by a bladder unable to fill up completely before creating the urge to urinate. Multiple bladder issues like overactivity, infection, recurrent urinary tract infections, inflammation, interstitial cystitis, and malignancy can all be the cause.<\/p>\n

Sleep Disorders<\/h3>\n

Sleep disorders should be suspected as a possible cause of nocturia if you\u2019re unable to fall asleep quickly after an episode. In fact, nocturia occurs in about half of patients<\/a> with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can cause nocturnal polyuria because of its effect on the diuretic hormone ANP. Moreover, those suffering from OSA experience frequent sleep disturbances and are more likely to notice their need to urinate.<\/p>\n

Oftentimes, people aren\u2019t aware an underlying sleep disorder might be the cause of their nocturia. Typically, they think their urge to urinate is the reason for their waking. However, studies have shown that in the majority of cases<\/a>, sleep-related disorders (severe snoring, apnea, or Restless Legs Syndrome) are actually the cause of awakening during a nocturia episode.<\/p>\n

Underlying Health Problems and Other Causes<\/h3>\n

The National Association for Continence<\/a> notes nocturia is sometimes a symptom of a greater problem. Various health conditions can change the way your body functions and may alter the way urine is passed, causing nocturia. Some of these conditions include:<\/p>\n