Advice & Support
for
Living with Incontinence

Frequent Urination at Night

Medically known as Nocturia, this annoying condition can stand between you and a good night’s rest.

Published by Suz Disher
Frequent Urination at Night

Getting enough quality sleep is essential to our wellbeing. Not only does it help physically but puts us in the right frame of mind to enjoy the good things in life, as well as handle the hurdles. Persistent sleep deprivation has been linked to everything from weight gain to an increased risk of having a car accident so if you’re getting up several times a night to pee, don’t ignore it.

 

What is Nocturia?

When asleep, the body usually produces a smaller quantity of concentrated urine compared to being awake, allowing most people to sleep undisturbed for six to eight hours.

If you have to get up twice or more in the night, you could have nocturia, and like all continence issues, it’s a symptom of an underlying condition so should be investigated by your doctor. The cause may be reasonably harmless or quite serious, and to find out, you must seek a medical opinion.

 

Causes of frequent night time urination

  • Fluid intake. Drinking large amounts of fluid late in the day can cause the problem, especially drinks that are carbonated, or contain caffeine or alcohol
  • Stress management. Anxiety can be a contributing factor and like all mental health issues, should be addressed
  • Habit. For some, the condition is as simple as having developed a pattern that’s difficult to break. Your doctor will be able to provide options to rectify this
  • Pregnancy. Changing hormones and pressure of the baby on the bladder. Unfortunately, this might persist until after your baby is born
  • Infection. If the urge is sudden and intense, but you pass very little urine, you may have a Urinary Tract Infection, also known as a UTI link to new UTI article (feb) when published), which may have spread to the bladder or kidneys. This must be treated with antibiotics
  • Ageing. The antidiuretic hormone helps retain fluid, and as we age, less is produced, resulting in increased urine production, especially at night. Muscles in the bladder and pelvic floor can also weaken, making it more difficult to hold urine
  • Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis and even heart and other types of organ failure
  • Neurological disorders like stress, dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s or damage from a stroke
  • Prostate issues such as enlargement or cancer
  • Prolapse
  • Medication. Frequent night time urination could be the side-effect of drugs you’re taking for another condition

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is a review of the symptoms you’re experiencing. Being sure of precisely what’s happening is helped by keeping a Bladder Diary which is easy to keep and you can then take to your doctor’s appointment

 

Tips to lessen the frequency of night-time urination

  • See your doctor. If the issue is an infection, antibiotics will resolve it and the incontinence. Other causes should also be investigated, including pregnancy, an audit of medications being taken, stress management, prostate enlargement, prolapse, etc.
  • Adopt Good Bladder Habits and avoid Food and Drinks that can irritate the bladder
  • Ask your doctor for a referral to a continence nurse or continence physiotherapist who can prescribe bladder retraining techniques as well as exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle and improve bladder control
  • In the meantime, chose a soft, comfortable and absorbent product from the TENA range. Designed to quickly absorb the thin, fast flow of a weak bladder, you’ll be dry and comfortable for the whole night. Take advantage of our Product Finder Tool and Free Samples to find the level of absorbency that best suits your needs.

    And again, if you are suffering from night-time incontinence, you must see your doctor.

     

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    Asaleo Care makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional, medical or other health professional advice.