Unexpected reason for frequent nighttime bathroom trips revealed
Photo: Why you often wake up to go to the bathroom at night (freepik.com)
Frequent nighttime awakenings to use the bathroom can signal health issues. An expert warns that if this happens multiple times a night, you might need to consult a doctor, according to the Daily Express.
Why can you wake up at night to go to the bathroom?
Doctors explain that while it’s normal to urinate up to eight times a day and once or twice at night, frequent nighttime urination, or nocturia, can indicate a more serious condition.
For instance, frequent urination could be a sign of diabetes, which can appear at any age.
Other causes of an overactive bladder include:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Enlarged prostate in middle-aged and older men
- Urethra swelling and infections
- Vaginitis
- Nerve-related issues
If you suspect nocturia may be related to any of these issues, it is recommended to consult your doctor. However, nocturia isn't always related to health.
Sleep position matters
As for a sleeping position, experts recommend to sleep on your side. Studies suggest that side sleeping can improve symptoms of sleep apnea, which may reduce nighttime trips to the bathroom. For those with sleep apnea and nocturia, sleeping on the side with a straight back may help.
This will help open your airways and promote more regular breathing, and it can reduce your trips to the bathroom.
This position also helps keep the spine and neck in line, which is essential for a good night's sleep and to reduce neck pain that can occur when sleeping on the front.
Doctors also note that being upright most of the day allows fluid to accumulate in the legs. Upon lying down, this fluid flows toward the kidneys, possibly prompting nighttime urination.
To mitigate this, try raising your legs before bedtime by propping them on a sofa arm, which helps fluid drain before you sleep, reducing the need to use the bathroom at night.
Find out about a simple method that can help you sleep for at least 10 hours every night.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
