Do you often get up at night to urinate? Let's talk about nocturia!

Do you also wake up at night after a good night's sleep with a sudden urge to urinate? Let's say it's okay if it's once. But what if you have to get up two or three times a night, maybe even more? Is it normal to feel tired and exhausted the next day? This is what we call nocturia in medicine. This is not something to be taken lightly as some people think. Because it can be a sign of another health problem hidden behind it. So today we will talk about everything about this.

What exactly is Nocturia?

Simply put, nocturia is the condition of waking up at night to urinate. We consider this a medical condition only if it occurs twice or more times a night.

Now you might be thinking, "I pee a lot during the day, is that the same thing?" No, that's a different story. We call frequent urination during the day "frequent urination." But nocturia is when you have to get up to urinate , especially between the time you go to bed and the time you wake up in the morning . This disrupts your precious sleep, which can make you feel tired and sleepy the next day.

A healthy person should be able to sleep for six to eight hours a night without having to get up to urinate.

How common is this situation in society?

This is more common than you might think. It's especially common as you get older. Just think, more than 50% of adults over the age of 50 suffer from this condition. That's about one in two people.

• Before the age of 50: Nocturia is slightly more common among women during this time.
• After the age of 50: This is most common among men at this age.

Overall, this condition can affect about one in three people after the age of 30. So you can see how common this problem is.

What are the main symptoms of this?

Although the main symptom of nocturia is getting up to urinate at night, there are other things associated with it.

• Getting up to urinate twice or more at night: This is the main and most obvious symptom.
• Increased urination: Sometimes you may have a condition called polyuria. This means that not only the frequency, but also the amount of urine (in milliliters) excreted at one time is much higher than normal.
• Excessive fatigue and sleepiness during the day:Because you're constantly having trouble sleeping at night, you're less productive during the day, feeling tired and sleepy. This can have a big impact on your daily life.

Why do we have to urinate so often at night? What are the reasons?

There can be many reasons for this. Some are very simple, related to our habits. But sometimes there can be a serious medical condition behind this. Let's break these reasons down into two categories.

How does a doctor find this?

When you go to see a doctor with this problem, the first thing he or she will do is ask you questions and get a complete explanation. It would be very helpful if you keep a small note of these things before you go to see the doctor.

• Keep a diary: For two to three days, write down how many times you wake up at night, what time it is, how much urine you pass at a time (a little or a lot), and what you drink before bed. This will help your doctor get a good idea of ​​your condition.
• Questions you can ask:
• Since when did you start staying up at night like this?
• How many times do you usually wake up at night?
• Is the amount of urine passed at one time too much or too little?
• How much coffee and tea do you drink per day?
• Do you drink alcohol?
• What medications are you currently taking?
• Has there been a change in your eating habits recently?

In addition to these questions, the doctor will examine you and may then refer you for some tests if necessary.

• Urinalysis: Checks the urine for infections, sugar, and protein.
• Blood tests: Check for kidney function and conditions like diabetes.
• Other tests: If necessary, you may be referred for a bladder scan or a test using a camera called a cystoscopy.

What can you do to stop waking up at night?

The good news is that nocturia is a treatable condition. Treatment options depend on the cause.

1. Treating the underlying disease

The first thing to do is to treat any underlying condition that is causing the nocturia. For example:

• If you have diabetes , you need to control your blood sugar levels well.
• If the prostate gland is enlarged , it may require medication or surgery.
• If you have sleep apnea , you should see a specialist for treatment.

2. Simple lifestyle changes

Whatever the reason, there are some simple lifestyle changes that can help almost everyone. These are well worth trying.

• Limit fluids after 6 pm: Stop drinking water, tea, coffee, and milk, especially 2-3 hours before bed. Drink your daily water intake during the day.
• Take 'water pills' (diuretics) in the morning:If you are taking diuretic medication for something like high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about taking it at least 6 hours before bedtime, or first thing in the morning.
• Take a nap in the afternoon: It may seem strange, but taking a nap during the day helps to absorb the extra fluid that has accumulated in the body into the bloodstream and eliminate it as urine. This reduces the amount of fluid that accumulates at night.
• Keep your legs elevated: When sitting in a chair during the day, keep your legs slightly elevated, as if on top of another chair. This will reduce fluid accumulation in the legs (edema).
• Wear Compression Stockings: Wearing these special types of socks can help control fluid accumulation in the legs.

3. Types of drugs

If lifestyle changes alone are not enough to control your symptoms, your doctor may prescribe certain medications.

• Anticholinergics: These control unwanted contractions of the bladder and reduce the need to urinate frequently.
• Desmopressin: This medication reduces the amount of urine produced by the kidneys at night.

When should I see a doctor?

It may be normal to get up to urinate once a night. However,

• If you have to get up more than twice a night,
• If this disrupts your sleep and you're very tired the next day,
• If this situation has affected your daily life,

See your family doctor without further delay. This is not something you should suffer with for the rest of your life. It can be well controlled with proper treatment.