Many people may have experienced that it is torture to suddenly wake up in a deep sleep because they need to go to the toilet urgently, especially on cold nights, and to climb out of a warm bed and walk into the icy toilet.
This phenomenon is more common in middle-aged and elderly people. But why are some people able to sleep until dawn without interrupting their sleep to urinate, while others often need to get up at night to go to the toilet? Which of these two different sleep patterns is healthier?
With nocturia or nocturia, which is healthier?
Some people believe that sleeping soundly through the night without being disturbed by the urge to urinate is a sign of good health. Waking up at night to go to the toilet isn't always an indication of a health problem, though.
The physiology of the human body includes the activity of urinating at night, and it is generally normal to wake up once or twice a night to go to the toilet. Especially when you drink more water after dinner or before bedtime, it is more common to wake up at night to urinate. If we can get back to sleep after waking up at night and maintain a good quality of sleep, this can actually be seen as a positive sign of healthy kidney function.
However, if there are no changes in your life, such as not drinking more water and going to the toilet more frequently at night, it is time to be vigilant, and frequent waking up late may be an early sign of certain diseases.
If urination becomes frequent at night and is accompanied by other uncomfortable symptoms, it is advisable not to hesitate to seek medical attention for a professional examination in time to ensure that possible health risks are identified and dealt with early. Let's learn more about this!
Causes of nocturia.
Chronic disease effects.
Chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes insipidus may cause the kidneys to reduce their ability to concentrate urine or increase urine production, altering the normal excretion of urine and causing frequent urination.
Abnormal bladder function.
Diseases such as prostatic hyperplasia, cystitis, and neurogenic bladder can lead to reduced bladder capacity or incomplete emptying of urine, affecting the bladder's ability to store urine and triggering symptoms such as nocturia and frequent urination.
Sleep-related disorders.
For example, sleep apnea syndrome can cause a lack of oxygen to the brain, stimulate the release of diuretic hormone, increase urine output, and wake up multiple times during the night to urinate.
Other diseases.
Health problems such as urinary tract stones, heart failure, and tumors can interfere with the normal process of urination, resulting in increased frequency of urination at night.
In addition, physiological factors such as excessive drinking of water before bedtime, intake of diuretic drinks, excessive consumption of salty foods, and poor sleep quality may also contribute to an increase in the frequency of urination at night.
How to avoid waking up too much at night?
Positive** underlying disease.
If frequent nocturia is caused by some health problem, it is crucial to seek medical attention promptly and receive appropriate ** to prevent the condition from worsening.
Limit water intake before bedtime.
While drinking plenty of water in moderation can be beneficial to your health, drinking plenty of water before bed may lead to increased urination at night. It is recommended to drink only a small amount of water before bed and develop the habit of going to the toilet before bed to help reduce the number of times you wake up at night.
Maintain a comfortable temperature for your sleeping environment.
Sleeping in a cold environment may increase the frequency of waking up at night. Keeping your bedroom warm and comfortable and avoiding cold stimuli can help reduce the frequency of urination at night.
Exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles.
Regular pelvic floor muscle exercises can help reduce nocturnal urination by improving bladder support and urethral sphincter control. This is especially important for women during pregnancy, postpartum or menopause, when urinary incontinence is more common. By strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, it is effective in improving the condition of nocturia.
Health Anhui).