As we get older, it seems as though we take some things for granted: more wrinkles, bigger bellies and getting up during the night to go for a pee. Going for a night pee, every once in a while is be fine, but unless you’re on a medicated diuretic ,regular nightly trips might be a sign of other issues.
Nocturia is a condition where you regularly wake up during the night because you have to urinate. For many over the age of 45, waking up for a pee has now become something you expect and get used to. For men and woman over the age of 70, over two-thirds urinate at least once per night, and up to 60 percent go twice or more each night. In a nutshell it is very common for most people to wake and visit the loo the you get older.
Causes of Nocturia:-
People can develop nocturia at different ages and for a host of reasons. Sometimes it’s mechanical issue based on the literal musculature function of the bladder and pelvic floor. Other times, nocturia persists due to the person having been primed to wake them up at regular intervals( especially by woman, when no longer breastfeeding). Pelvic floor trauma incurred during birth can also cause nocturia.
Age if often sited as the main reasons for the decrease in the function of the bladder muscle, but there are a number of other factors that can affect the bladders performance: UTIs ,diabetes, overactive bladder, pelvic prolapse.
On a more complex level cardiovascular conditions have also been sited. If the heart fails to pump enough blood to the kidneys to enable the kidneys to filter the blood and urine, fluid will tend to build up during the daytime. Nocturia will only be one of a number of symptoms that are likely to appear. Other likely symptoms are swollen limbs, irregular heart beats water retention. If that's the case, midnight pee breaks are the least of your problems..
Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, brain tumours, sleep apnea and strokes can all affect the bladder as it is controlled by the functions of the brain. Once again nucturia is only a symptom and not the primary issue.
Constipation can also contribute to the problem as the build up of fecal matter in the colon will generally exert pressure on the bladder, increasing the need to go..
If you suffer from general poor bladder or incontinence throughout the day, it’s not uncommon for those problems to persist during the evening.
Dealing with Nocturia:
The bladder is affected by so many parts of the body, like all roads leading to Rome. Ultimately, it is essential to manage your daytime frequency, as that will affect the outcome at night.
Consuming large quantities of liquid late in the evening, will invariably cause you to visit the loo. Your diet may also plays its part. If you consume a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, which store large amounts of liquid, they will need to come out at some stage. Conversely, a poor diet may lead to constipation, as perviously mentioned.
Avoid diuretic drinks in the late afternoon or early evening.
The timing of you nightly cup of tea, may have to be brought forward or done away with all together.
If the nightly treks leave you feeling jaded the following morning, professional help may have to be sought. As the lack of a good nights sleep may lead to the development of other issues. Professional help may also prescribe some fluid restricting medication to assist in the process.
Pelvic muscle exercises have proven to be helpful in reducing you daytime visits. This approach tries to recalibrate your brain into increasing the periods between visits at night.
Conclusion:
In some way, we all put it down to getting older and get used to it..We know it’s impossible to drain your bladder completely, but in combination with avoiding liquids, 2 hrs before bed is a good place to start. .
Brett’s view:
Interestingly, I’m not sure if I wake up to go to the toilet or just wake up at the same time and go for a pee. It’s just that I usually wake up around 5am and as I’m awake, go…so it’s not sure which comes first, the chick or the egg...
David’s view:
I was getting out of bed at 2am every night and it seemed to become a regular habit. I stopped drinking coffee after noon and that seems to have helped. It's a real pain to get out of a nice warm bed in the middle night, and I am sure the longer it goes on the more routine it becomes to your body. I found that mint or green tea helped as well.
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