Adults pee their beds (nocturnal enuresis) due to a mix of factors like hormone imbalances (not enough ADH), small bladder capacity, overactive bladder muscles, deep sleep, or underlying issues such as sleep apnea, diabetes, constipation, UTIs, neurological conditions, certain medications, or high intake of caffeine/alcohol, often requiring a doctor to find the specific cause.
But anxiety and stress, drinking too much fluid, or a bladder condition may be the cause. Or it could be another health condition. Causes of adult bed-wetting may include: Bladder conditions, including overactive muscles and nerves or a bladder that can hold only small amounts of urine.
Your healthcare professional can develop a plan catered to you to address night-time wetting, which may include:
If you wet the bed once, it's generally not a cause for concern, as it's usually unrelated to a medical problem. However, frequent instances may indicate a health issue. For persistent bed-wetting, it's recommended to consult a doctor or urologist to investigate underlying causes and potential treatment options.
Primary enuresis is much more common. Secondary enuresis in older children or teens should be evaluated by a doctor. Bedwetting in this age group could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or other health problems, neurological issues (related to the brain), stress, or other issues.
Bedwetting affects people of all ages, from children to adults. Children are still learning to control their bladder, so the condition is more common before age 6. Adults with nocturnal enuresis usually have an underlying medical or psychological condition that leads to bedwetting.
If any of these symptoms are present, it may be worth making an appointment to see a doctor: Blood in the urine, frequent urination, painful urination or back pain. Your doctor may investigate the more common causes of the symptoms first, or may refer you to a specialist, like a urologist or an oncologist.
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Any of these medical issues can also cause bedwetting in adults: diabetes, urinary tract infection, urinary tract stones, neurological disorders, anatomical abnormalities, urinary tract calculi, prostate cancer, prostate enlargement, bladder cancer, or obstructive sleep apnea.
A number of studies have reported an association between enuresis and an increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 4.1% to 74.9% of subjects with enuresis have been reported to have ADHD. ADHD has also been reported to be a risk factor for persistent nocturnal enuresis after treatment.
The "21-second pee rule" comes from a scientific study showing most mammals over about 3 kg (6.6 lbs) empty their bladders in roughly 21 seconds, a phenomenon explained by physics where longer, wider urethras in larger animals use gravity to maintain a similar flow rate to smaller ones, and it serves as a loose benchmark for human bladder health; significantly shorter or longer times can signal issues like overactive bladder or holding it too long.
If the doctor doesn't find a medical problem, how can parents help stop bedwetting?
It's actually a fairly common problem for kids with ADHD. They're about three times as likely to have bedwetting trouble than other kids.
Stress, anxiety, and life events can play a significant role in bedwetting for children and adults, often linked to deeper emotional or mental health challenges. Help is available—from bedwetting alarms and therapy to medication and lifestyle changes; there are effective ways to manage and treat enuresis for all ages.
Earlier studies have shown that behaviour problems [15] and stressful life events [16] sometimes precede relapses in bedwetting. There is evidence that early difficult temperament is a precursor to behaviour and emotional problems in children [17] and bedwetting is linked to elevated rates of these problems.
Causes of urinary incontinence
Stress incontinence is usually the result of the weakening of or damage to the muscles used to prevent urination, such as the pelvic floor muscles and the urethral sphincter. Urge incontinence is usually the result of overactivity of the detrusor muscles, which control the bladder.
Primary enuresis is thought to affect 1 – 2% of all adults. Wetting that has started after at least six months of dry nights is called secondary enuresis. Secondary enuresis is more likely to be a symptom of another underlying health condition.
Dream Pee Mystery Explained Peeing in a dream (sometimes called sleep enuresis) happens when the bladder is full during sleep. Normally, the brain wakes us up when it's time to urinate, but sometimes the dream mixes with reality, and the body releases urine before waking.
High blood sugar levels or hormonal imbalances in these conditions can increase nighttime urine production. Stress can affect the body in unexpected ways, including triggering enuresis. The physical response to stress during sleep can sometimes result in bedwetting episodes.
If the bedwetting is a one-time occurrence or is very occasional, you likely don't need to worry. However, if it happens often and/or you're becoming worried about the bedwetting, seek medical help.
Urine contains bacteria, so if its left long enough it can develop mould. Urine contains urea, uric acid and other compounds that can be a risk. That smell of ammonia that gets trapped inside your mattress is caused by bacteria eating away at the residue of the urine.
Diabetes can cause nerve damage to your urinary tract, causing bladder problems. Overweight and obesity also can increase bladder problems, such as urinary incontinence (UI).
Over 25 million adult Americans experience temporary or chronic urinary incontinence. This condition can occur at any age, but it is more common in women over the age of 50.
Here are 10 bladder symptoms that you should discuss with your healthcare team:
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