Did you know that about 50 million Americans live with nocturia, out of which 10 million are getting treatment? In short, nocturia is a frustrating condition in which people wake up repeatedly for trips to the bathroom instead of sleeping soundly.

That said, those with nocturia lose out on an interrupted, restful night’s sleep, which as a result, makes them drowsy and irritable after waking up. Poor sleep can also lead to exhaustion, poor work performance, accidents, injuries, mood disturbances, illness, and lower life expectancy.

With this in mind, it’s essential that you seek professional help as soon as you notice that you’ve been waking up repeatedly to urinate during the night. Determining the cause and receiving the right treatment is more than needed if you want to avoid the negative outcomes of nocturia.

What are the Causes of Nocturia?

Many conditions, diseases, and situations can cause nocturia. It might happen as a result of sleep difficulties, cardiac, metabolic, or kidney disease, or it might simply occur because you drank too much. Yet, in general, nocturia is caused by changes in how your body makes and stores urine, as well as how you sleep. Common nocturia causes include:

• Polyuria – the body produces too much urine.
• Nocturnal polyuria – the body produces too much urine during the night.
• Bladder storage problems – the bladder storage capacity has reduced over time or bladder function is disturbed.
• Sleep disorders – not being able to sleep soundly.
• Mixed nocturia – a mix of two or more of the above-listed.

However, remember that these conditions can be a result of lifestyle changes or signs of more serious health conditions. For instance, when it comes to polyuria, nocturia might be due to an increased water intake, but it might also be a result of kidney disease or diabetes.

Having said that here’s a brief list of lifestyle changes that might cause nocturia:

• Increased liquid intake before bed
• Trained behavior / a habit
• Pregnancy
• Old age
• Some medications(diuretics, phenytoin, lithium, vitamin D, demeclocycline, methoxyflurane, propoxyphene, cardiac glycosides, etc.)

And, when it comes to health conditions, here are some that might lead to nocturia:

• Diabetes
• Uterine prolapse
• Pelvic prolapse
• Kidney disease
• Hypercalcemia
• High blood pressure
• Prostate disease
• Bladder obstruction
• Urinary tract infections
• Sleep disorders
• Restless leg syndrome
• Congestive heart failure
• Some cancers (pancreas and prostate cancer)

Finally, other factors that might contribute to suffering from nocturia include:

• Depression
• Antidepressants
• Obesity
• No physical activity

What are the Treatment Options for Nocturia?

To relieve nocturia symptoms, the underlying cause has to be treated. The good news is that nocturia is treatable. Possible treatment options for nocturia include:

Lifestyle changes

• Reduce your intake of fluids at night
• Reduce dietary salt intake
• Limit alcohol and caffeine
• Use compression stockings
• Take naps
• Be physically active
• Manage your medications
• Practice good sleep hygiene
• Do Kegel exercises
• Try delayed voiding
• Do pelvic floor muscle training
• Practice urge-suppression techniques
• Manage peripheral edema
• Try behavior therapy

Medications

• Diuretics
• Anti-diuretic hormone therapy
• Anticholinergic medications
• Alpha-blockers
• Topical vaginal estrogen
• Botox bladder injection
• Melatonin

But, remember that you should only take medications when prescribed by a doctor. In severe cases, when lifestyle changes and medication don’t help, a minimally invasive procedure or surgery might be needed.

The Bottom Line

It is hard not being able to get a good night’s sleep due to frequent bathroom visits. Luckily, nocturia is treatable and all you need to do is discuss your symptoms with your doctor and get treatment.