I always wake up at night to pee © iStock-Getty Images
Do you get up several times during the night to go to the bathroom? It’s not a serious problem, but it is annoying. We analyze the situation with Professor François Desgrandchamps, head of the urology department at Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris.
Getting up once or twice a night to go to the bathroom is annoying, but perfectly normal. Any more, and it starts to get annoying! Fortunately, there are solutions, explains Professor François Desgrandchamps.
“From age 50, about 80% of people get up once a night to urinate, and about 40% get up twice a night,” says Professor Desgrandchamps. “It’s not a serious problem, but it’s annoying.” Beyond this (or if getting up every night bothers you), there are some measures you can take to limit this nocturnal polyuria or pollakiuria, as it’s scientifically called.
Small or large volumes?
To determine the cause and therefore the measures to take, this is the first question to ask. Generally, you know whether you get up to urinate a lot (polyuria) or very little (pollakiuria).
If you want to narrow things down, you can keep a urination diary. “For 24 hours, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. the next morning, urinate into a measuring cup and measure the amount each time,” recommends Professor Desgrandchamps. You can also use the free app Mictionary.
Small volumes: overactive bladder?
“If you urinate little at night (less than a third of your total in 24 hours), it’s probably due to an overactive or hypersensitive bladder,” says the specialist. Normally, the bladder sends a signal to the brain telling it’s time to urinate when it’s full. But when it’s overactive, it sends this signal to the brain even when it’s partially empty.
Good habits: First, consistently take the time to completely empty your bladder every time you go to the bathroom. Then, set a time limit between bathroom visits and gradually extend it, day and night, to retrain your bladder, until you reach 3-4 hours between each visit. If you feel the urge earlier, try to let it pass: think about something else (count backward from 100, do math, etc.), take five deep breaths. If that doesn’t work, go to the bathroom, but slowly.
Also work your pelvic floor to tone your pelvic muscles. Finally, pay attention to your diet (avoid coffee, tea, alcohol, and carbonated drinks, and consume more fiber).
