Peeing frequently at night could be a sign of an underlying condition. Or, it could mean you're drinking too much before you go to bed. It might be a good idea to make some simple lifestyle changes like eliminating beverages two to three hours before bedtime.
Drinking too much fluid during the evening can cause you to urinate more often during the night. Caffeine and alcohol after dinner can also lead to this problem. Other common causes of urination at night include: Infection of the bladder or urinary tract.
Over two-thirds of men and women over 70 urinate at least once per night, and up to 60 percent go twice or more each night. In a nutshell, the study shows that it is very common for most people to wake up once a night, and it becomes more common as you get older.
Some people may notice they have to get up every couple of hours during the night to urinate and that they produce more urine when they do go. The presence of excess glucose can also cause the urine to have a sweet smell.
Contact your healthcare provider if you find yourself waking up to pee more than once or twice per night. It may be a sign of something else going on and the frequent wake-ups may leave you feeling exhausted.
Limit your intake of fluids two hours before bedtime
You'll also want to limit alcohol and caffeine, which are bladder stimulants, throughout the day. If you're struggling with nighttime urination, cut back to just one alcoholic beverage, or none at all, and decrease your current caffeine intake.
Waking up a few times during the night is common and completely normal. If you struggle to fall back asleep or wake up frequently, other factors might be keeping you from a good night's rest. Environment, diet, medication, mental health or physical health could impact your sleep quality.
People with diabetes may urinate as much as 20 times a day, with a full bladder every time. When you have extra glucose in your blood, due to diabetes, your kidneys work overtime to get rid of it. As this happens, the extra glucose soaks up water everywhere in your body, causing you to urinate more often.
Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common cause of frequent urination. These are bacterial infections in your bladder, urethra or other parts of your urinary tract. They include cystitis (bladder infection), urethritis (infection of the urethra) and pyelonephritis (kidney infection).
You may pass urine more often than usual because of: Infection, disease, injury or irritation of the bladder. A condition that causes your body to make more urine. Changes in muscles, nerves or other tissues that affect how the bladder works.
High fluid intake or dietary triggers.
It stands to reason that if you drink a lot, you're going to pee a lot. But your bladder alsocan become overstimulated by caffeine, citrus fruits and other acids, chocolate, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and spicy foods.
For most people, the normal number of times to urinate per day is between 6 – 7 in a 24 hour period. Between 4 and 10 times a day can also be normal if that person is healthy and happy with the number of times they visit the toilet.
“Our study indicates that if you need to urinate in the night – called nocturia – you may have elevated blood pressure and/or excess fluid in your body,” said study author Dr Satoshi Konno, of the Division of Hypertension, Tohoku Rosai Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
Normally, at night time, melatonin levels will naturally increase, and cortisol (our stress hormone), will naturally be lower (than in the mornings). If you are under acute stress, or you have been under chronic stress, you may notice that you tend to wake up between 2-4 am and have difficulty falling back asleep.
A study done on vitamin c intake in 2060 women, aged 30-79 years of age found that high-dose intake of vitamin c and calcium were positively associated with urinary storage or incontinence, whereas vitamin C from foods and beverages were associated with decreased urinary urgency.
People who have nocturia that is caused by lifestyle choices may find that the symptoms go away as they change their habits. If the symptoms persist, however, it may be time to see a doctor to make sure it is not caused by an underlying medical condition.
Researchers have examined the urinary patterns of sleep-deprived volunteers and have found that a lack of sleep leads to increased urinary output and more salt in urine. The findings were found to be more prevalent in males than females.
Transparent and lacking in color
Transparent, colorless urine could also be a sign of some other health disorders, including diabetes and kidney disease, or from taking diuretic medication.