Diagnosis, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment of Nocturia
It is normal for people to wake up at night, urinate, and then go back to sleep. However, if you wake up too often to pee, you might have Nocturia, which forces people to wake up more than once to visit the bathroom. If you have to pee more at night even when you have not taken excess fluids, read further for insights and what you can do about nocturia.
Nocturia may show in the following ways:
Waking up more than once to pee during the night
Experiencing overactive bladder symptoms
Peeing more if you have polyuria (peeing too much in total volume but not necessarily many times)
Fatigue and feeling sleepy during the day
Different factors may be behind nocturia. They may include:
Drinking excess fluids before bedtime
Consuming excess diuretics, including water pills, alcohol, tobacco, spicy, and sugary foods that lead to excess urine production
Habit or routine of waking up to pee at night
Reduced bladder capacity that may lead to bladder leakages and Overactive Bladder symptoms
Certain health conditions may also force you to wake up to pee at night, including:
Menopause, pregnancy, and childbirth
Obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Your healthcare expert may conduct different tests to advise accordingly. They may also want you to keep a diary of your nighttime visits to the bathroom and different factors surrounding each trip. If need be, they may also do a urinalysis to check for proteins, infections, and other suspicious elements.
Management and Treatment of Nocturia
If you are wondering how to can stop waking up to pee in the middle of the night, consider the following:
A medical expert may advise that you treat the underlying causes and guide you accordingly
If you have sleep apnea, ensure to see a sleep specialist
If you have prostate enlargement, seeking the right medication is crucial
Change your lifestyle habits, including:
Restricting diuretic fluids
Avoiding excess fluids in the evening
Pelvic floor physical therapy for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles
Using compression socks to help with fluid distribution
Nocturia can impact your well-being. It may mean waking up fatigued and being sleepy the whole day. If the symptoms persist, you should see an expert.