We’ve all had that unwanted experience: waking up in the middle of the night, realizing you have to pee, trying to fall back asleep and eventually giving in so your bladder stops screaming at you. However, when this experience becomes so frequent that it continually prevents you from getting quality sleep, you may be dealing with a medical condition called nocturia.
Fortunately, there are some simple lifestyle changes you can make to prevent yourself from having to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. But if those don’t work, we also discuss when it’s time for you to schedule an appointment with your doctor.
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What is nocturia?
Nocturia is a medical condition that causes you to wake up more than once per night to pee. It affects an estimated one in three adults over 30 and about half of people 65 and older.
There are many causes of nocturia, including drinking too much liquid before bed, consuming alcohol or caffeine at nighttime and taking diuretic medications. Certain medical conditions — like bladder obstructions, diabetes and urinary tract infections — can also contribute to nocturia. In other cases, people have nocturia simply because they’ve developed a habit of waking up and using the bathroom (although they might not necessarily need to go).
How many times is it normal to pee at night?
The frequency of nightly urination will vary from person to person. It’s affected by numerous individual factors, including age, underlying conditions, pregnancy and fluid intake.
Most people should be able to get a full 6 to 8 hours of rest without waking up to pee, and experts advise that once per night is not necessarily something to worry about — especially since it’s so individual-based. However, if you’re regularly waking up more than once, you’re entering nocturia territory, and it might be cause for concern.
5 habits to help you stop waking up to pee at night
You’ll want to pay closer attention to what and when you’re drinking before bed.
If you’re tired (quite literally) of getting up in the middle of the night to pee, the following tips might help. Keep in mind that these are merely suggestions and not medical advice. Be sure to speak with a doctor if you’re concerned about your nighttime bathroom usage.
1. Monitor caffeine intake at night
Research has found that drinking caffeinated beverages can increase the need to pee in people with overactive bladder symptoms due to the diuretic properties of caffeine.
If you’re urinating frequently at night, you might find some relief by limiting your caffeine intake during the day. In general, experts recommend cutting off your caffeine consumption by noon — or at least avoiding caffeine in the second half of the day.
2. Look into pelvic floor therapy
If you have pelvic floor issues, you may also have problems with nocturia or incontinence. In these cases, pelvic floor therapy can help strengthen your muscles, give you more bladder control and prevent leaks.
You can perform basic pelvic floor exercises (like Kegels) at home. Start by emptying your bladder and lying on your back. Contract your pelvic muscles for 3 to 5 seconds, then release and relax for the same duration. Repeat the process 10 times.
Alternatively, you can book an appointment at a pelvic therapy clinic near you.
Pelvic floor therapy can be helpful for bladder-related medical conditions.
3. Try compression socks
As you go about your day, fluid builds up in your legs. When you go to bed (and, in the process, elevate your legs), your kidneys start to process this fluid, which can increase your need to urinate. One way to prevent this is by improving your body’s fluid distribution throughout the day so you don’t have to pee as much at night.
How can you boost fluid distribution? Wearing compression socks during the day promotes better blood flow and improves circulation, making it less likely for fluid to collect in your legs. Recent research also shows that it may help treat nocturia.
4. Avoid large beverages after dinner
Another strategy to help you pee less during the night is to minimize your fluid intake before bed. If possible, don’t drink anything for two hours before you go to sleep. It’s also a good idea to limit your beverage consumption in the late afternoon and evening.
It’s best to avoid any type of drinking before bed, but it’s especially important to cut out alcohol. Like caffeine, alcohol is a diuretic that makes your body produce more urine, so consuming alcoholic beverages in the evening will likely lead to you urinating more at night.
5. Take a daily nap
When you lie down for a short afternoon snooze, your bloodstream will absorb liquid in your body, prompting you to go pee when you wake up. As a result, you may need fewer nighttime trips to the bathroom because you’ve already gotten rid of some of the liquid that you’d usually expel at night.
On top of that, naps can help you feel more refreshed if you slept poorly the night before due to your nocturia. To get the most out of your nap, keep it to a maximum of 20 minutes and aim to take it earlier in the day.
Safety risks for older adults
The higher the age, the more common nocturia is, with 70% of people over 70 years old being affected.
One of the primary concerns with nocturia in older individuals is the increased risk of falling or hip fracture as they navigate through the dark to and from the bathroom. Research indicates that a large percentage of falls by older people occur at night in the bathroom.
Nocturia can be particularly dangerous for older adults.
It’s important — especially for the aging population — to have a clear path to the restroom with appropriate lighting and a cellphone or device to signal any falls in case of emergency in the bathroom.
When should you see a doctor for peeing at night?
If you’ve tried these tips and still wake up to pee multiple times per night, contact your doctor. You should also see a medical professional if your nighttime bathroom trips are causing you severe distress, ruining your sleep quality or if you have other uncomfortable urinary symptoms.
Your doctor can help pinpoint what’s triggering your nocturia — whether it’s an underlying medical condition, a side effect of medication or a lifestyle factor. Once they determine the cause, they can recommend the appropriate treatment, which might include behavioral changes, exercises or medication.
