Going to the bathroom multiple times each night can become exhausting and frustrating. Frequent interruptions lead to sleep deprivation, which negatively interferes with your daily work. How can you make it stop? Who should you see? Read on to learn what is causing this condition – nocturia – and what you can do to improve your nightly sleep and quality of life.
What Are the Leading Causes of Nocturia?
If you have to wake up several times each night to go to the bathroom, you have what is known as nocturia. Commonly linked to sleep apnea, many patients living with OSA become increasingly aware of their need to urinate throughout the night. This can cause individuals to wonder whether their nocturia is more of a urinary or sleep problem.
The most common reasons for this condition include:
- Excessive fluid consumption before bedtime
- Certain medications that contain diuretics
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Pregnancy
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- Heart disease
- Edema
What Kind of Treatment is Available?
When treating nocturia, you’ll want to talk to your physician or a sleep expert about what you can do to avoid going to the bathroom so often at night.
If you always wake up choking or gasping for air because you can’t breathe, there’s a high probability that you have OSA. If it is at that time that you decide you need to use the bathroom, it could indicate that nocturia is more of a sleep issue. A sleep apnea expert can recommend oral appliance treatment or CPAP therapy to help you experience fewer airway obstructions at night. This not only helps improve your sleep quality but also reduces the number of times you wake up and decide you need to use the bathroom.
If you’re using the bathroom but not experiencing bouts of ceased breathing throughout the night, your nocturia may be more of a urinary problem, which means you’ll likely need to make some lifestyle changes, such as:
- Avoid drinking fluids several hours before bedtime
- Ask your physician about medications that don’t contain diuretics or taking them at a different time of day
- Elevate your legs while you’re at home so there is not a buildup of fluid
- Wear compression socks to help with distributing fluid
Nocturia and sleep apnea are not conditions you have to suffer with. Instead, reach out to a trusted sleep expert who can help address both problems and put your life back on track.
About the Practice
Star Sleep & Wellness in Irving is pleased to have a host of sleep experts on staff who will help treat your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Whether it’s just sleep apnea that you’re dealing with or other similar conditions, like nocturia, we can suggest solutions to make sure you get more sleep night after night. If you want to quit spending your time in the bathroom when you should be resting, contact us right away.