Love is Blind is never short on pod drama, and this season is no exception. When a reality show personality overshared about his now ex-fiancé’s frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom, squirming fans quickly took to social media to express their disapproval.
But those cringe comments brought to light an important issue that affects millions of Americans. Frequent nighttime urination isn’t just a nuisance – it’s a condition called nocturia, and it could be a sign of a UTI or other underlying health condition.
What is nocturia?
Nocturia, or nocturnal urinary frequency, causes you to wake up two or more times in the night to urinate. While the condition can affect anyone, it’s typically more common in people over 60.
That doesn’t mean Gen Y or Z are in the clear. Studies show that 2 out of 3 women 40 and older wake up at least once each night due to a full bladder. Nearly half of them make two or more nighttime trips to the bathroom. And around 1 in 3 people over 30 also experience nocturia.
The condition can also be marked by involuntary leakage of urine during the night. Nocturia incontinence is common during pregnancy and after childbirth.
While frequent urination isn’t harmful, the multiple nighttime pitstops can disrupt your sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, nocturia is one of the most commonly reported causes of sleep disturbances, which can take a toll on your physical and mental health. Frequent nighttime bathroom visits may also be a symptom of an underlying health issue.
What causes nocturia?
Nocturia can happen for a lot of reasons. The most common causes include:
- Drinking too much fluid in the evening. Even healthy fluids like water can lead to nighttime wakeups. Late-night alcohol and caffeinated beverages can make nocturia even worse.
- Certain medications: Diuretics (water pills), antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and blood pressure medications can contribute to frequent urination at night.
- Reduced bladder capacity: Bladder obstruction, infection, swelling, and pain could cause the bladder to not fully fill or empty when peeing.
- Routine: We’re all creatures of habit. Even if you wake up in the night for another reason, you may instinctively get up and go to the bathroom thinking you need to pee.
Nocturia can also be a symptom of certain health conditions, such as:
- Polyuria: A condition that causes your body to produce more pee than your bladder can hold.
- Pelvic organ prolapse (in women): When one or more organs in the pelvis sag, often due to childbirth, pregnancy, or menopause.
- Enlarged prostate (in men): Most common in men over 50.
- Overactive bladder: A common condition that causes sudden urges to pee, even if your bladder isn’t full. About 33 percent of adults experience it.
- Urinary tract infections: UTIs can irritate bladder nerves and cause overactive bladder. Common symptoms are a strong urge to pee and a burning sensation when urinating.
- High blood sugar levels: When there’s too much sugar in your blood, your kidneys work harder to make more water to get rid of it. Frequent peeing is one of the most common early signs of diabetes.
- High blood calcium levels: Too much calcium in your urine can reduce bladder function.
- Heart disease or congestive heart failure: When the heart isn’t pumping effectively, it can cause fluid retention that the body tries to eliminate while resting.
- Kidney conditions: These can cause excess urine production.
- Sleep-related disorders: Conditions like sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome can contribute to nocturia.
How can I stop from peeing so much in the middle of the night?
A few lifestyle changes may help minimize your nighttime bathroom breaks:
- Reduce fluid intake in the evening: Focus on hydrating earlier in the day and stop drinking fluids at least three hours before bed.
- Put a cap on adult bevvies: Alcohol and caffeinated beverages are known diuretics that increase urination. Try to avoid alcohol two to six hours before bed and opt for decaf drinks in the afternoon and evening.
- Take a nap: An afternoon snooze is an opportunity to catch up on lost sleep and allows your body to absorb fluids before bedtime.
- Empty your bladder completely before going to bed.
- Talk with a health care clinician. If these tips and tricks don’t work, consider seeking medical advice. Medications may help control symptoms of an overactive bladder or excessive urine production. If a pelvic organ prolapse is the issue, Kegel exercises may be prescribed to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and prevent urinary incontinence.
When should I seek medical treatment for my nighttime peeing?
If your bladder is waking you up more than once during your 6-8 hours of sleep, Indigo Urgent Care can help. Simply walk into one of our convenient locations or book a same-day or next-day appointment online.
One of our clinicians will evaluate your nighttime peeing habits, overall health and medical history, and provide a prompt diagnosis and treatment plan. They may also order lab tests to help identify underlying conditions that may be causing your nocturia episodes. If you need a higher level of care, we’ll provide a referral to a urologist or other specialist.
If you’ve had UTIs in the past and suspect that’s what’s keeping you up at night, Indigo Virtual Care makes it easy to get relief. Simply answer a short online questionnaire about your symptoms and a clinician will get back to you in less than an hour with a plan of action.
In-person and virtually, we’re here from 8 am to 8 pm every day, including weekends.
