Frequent urination at night can lead to stress, exhaustion, and sleepless nights depending on how often you wake up to urinate at night. Most times frequent urinations are not a result of diseases or infections but rather a result of certain habits we need to let go. In this article, I will be showing you how to reduce frequent urination at night. Check them out below;
1. Keep record of bladder activity
keeping record of bladder activity is also known as a voiding diary, which would involve monitoring how much liquid you drink and the correspondent urine output, as well as taking note of whether you are urinating too much throughout the day or just at night. This can significantly help you have an idea of where the problem comes from.
For example, with the aid of a voiding diary, you can easily notice if you urinate more when you take certain drinks or medications. Also, it is worth stating that as you age, you may start experiencing an overactive bladder, which will, in turn, make you urinate more even at night. So, if you are between the ages of 65 and 70 and you go to the toilet more than twice at night, you may need to visit your doctor.
2. Limit your intake of fluids two hours before bedtime.
To also avoid having a full bladder disturb your sleep, you must avoid drinking too close to bedtime as this will make you urinate moreItit is specifically recommended that those whose sleep is often disturbed by the need to urinate at night, limit their fluid intake to two hours before bedtime. It is also important that you avoid bladder stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine as they can make you urinate more.
Check for sleep apnea
The human body, during deep sleep, often produces antidiuretic hormones which help the body retain more fluid, and thus reduce the need for urination. However, this is not so in people with sleep apnea as such people don’t get into the deep stages of sleep, with their bodies unable to make enough of the hormones as a result. A drop in oxygen during sleep apnea also triggers the excretion of more water by the kidney, leading to increased urination overnight.
4. If you have swellings in your feet or legs, always exercise and elevate your legs
According to the Cleveland Clinic, swelling in the legs or feet would often result in frequent urination at night. This is because once you lie down, the fluids that are in the legs or feet will get reabsorbed into the body and will be processed by the kidneys, leading to frequent urination. To counter this, ensure you exercise regularly and also elevate your legs, especially in the late afternoon and evening.
5. Take your diuretics in the afternoon
Diuretics are often prescribed to reduce water retention in the body and are sometimes used for high blood pressure, leg swelling, ng or congestive heart disease. Since diuretics often cause an increased urine output, it is wise that you take them in the afternoon as your body will make more urine in the afternoon and evening, rather than during the night.
