Do you pee more at night? If yes, this is what it means

Are you curious about why you keep getting up in the middle of the night to pee? Well, you may have a condition called nocturia. People with this condition are prone to frequent urination, especially at night. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, 69 percent of males and 76 percent of women over 40 years of age, report getting up at least once during the night to use the restroom. And one in every three adults over the age of 30 goes to the bathroom at least twice a night.

Having a full bladder, especially at night, and having to go to the bathroom frequently can be quite painful and annoying. Indeed, this might be embarrassing for some, but it can also be disruptive for sleep.

Frequent urination at night can be a cause of many conditions or many diseases, says Dr Satish Koul, Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram.

He says, “An increased frequency of urination at night is also known as nocturia, meaning that the patient is getting up multiple times at night to pass urine.”

Can frequent urination be because of drinking too much water?

Many people believe that urinating more especially at night is normal because they drink a lot of water before bed. But this isn’t always the case. If you drink a lot of water before going to bed, you may wake up occasionally to urinate, but if you are urinating frequently at night, there may be something else that may require medical attention.

Causes of frequent urination at night

1. Age

Frequent night-time urination can depend on one’s age, and this should always be investigated. Dr Koul says, “It can happen in people over the age of 50 because of their prostate enlargement.”

2. Diabetes

Though the majority of the population who have this condition may be above the age of 50 or 60, it can happen at any age. In addition, this condition can be an initial sign of the development of diabetes.

3. Abnormal aldosterone level

We create less aldosterone when the adrenals are exhausted, and we tend to eliminate large amounts of essential minerals in our urine. Frequent urination is reported by people with depleted endocrine systems.

Moreover, excessive blood pressure and low potassium levels can be caused by high aldosterone levels. Low potassium levels can result in tingling, muscle spasms, and temporary paralysis.

4. Pregnancy

Nocturia is a common early sign of pregnancy. This can happen early in the pregnancy stage, but it is not uncommon for it to happen later when the growing womb presses against the bladder.

5. Urinary tract infection (UTI)

UTI is a major cause of frequent urination. If you are dealing with a UTI you may experience urinating more during the day and at night as well. You may also experience stomach ache, fever, fatigue, foul smell of urine, lower abdomen pain, vaginal irritation, itching, and painful intercourse.

Takeaway

Frequent urination at night should always be discussed with your doctor. And one should be investigated for possible reasons to diagnose why the patient is passing urine multiple times during the night.