Nocturia: The Causes of Frequent Nighttime Bathroom Visits

It’s important to get your steps in every day. But if you find you’re taking more and more of those steps after midnight – every night – it might not be so healthy.

Having to get up multiple times at night to go to the bathroom, which is called nocturia, could be a sign of a urinary health condition. 

There’s a good chance you know someone who lives with nocturia; it affects more than half of anyone older than 50, and up to one in three people older than 30.

Causes of Nocturia

There are many possible causes of nocturia. They include:

• Overactive Bladder (OAB) – This condition occurs when muscles involuntarily force the bladder to squeeze out urine, typically before it is full, prompting a sudden need to urinate immediately. OAB reduces the amount of fluid your bladder can hold which can cause you to go to the bathroom repeatedly at night. 
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse – This condition occurs in women when the upper portion of the vagina loses its normal shape and drops into the vaginal canal.
• Enlarged Prostate (BPH) – This common condition in men causes frequent peeing in the daytime and nighttime. Read more about treatment options for Nocturia and BPH.

Other causes of nocturia include:

• Drinking too much fluid before bedtime
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Childbirth
• Menopause
• Medications that contain a diuretic

Other urinary causes of nocturia include urethral scarring, which narrows urine’s passage, and bladder swelling or obstruction. With most conditions, the common symptoms of nocturia are the same: Having to take two or more bathroom trips at night, which in turn cause fatigue and sleepiness.

Nocturia Is A Wakeup Call

If you have the symptoms of nocturia, you should not sleep on it. Untreated, the underlying causes – BPH in particular – will progress and could develop complications.

Treatment Options That Can Help You Sleep at Night

Regardless of the cause of nocturia, take comfort in knowing that several treatment options are available, starting with non-invasive Kegel exercises and/or medications.

If your urinary retention issues do not improve with these approaches, you can ask about a range of leading-edge surgical and non-surgical treatments. We offer many options depending on your personal situation, so you can choose the approach that best suits your lifestyle, needs, and comfort level.

That first step toward treatment could be one of the healthiest you make, especially if you’re taking too many steps at night.