Nocturia
Nocturia could be keeping you, and your bladder, up at night.
If the need to urinate has you running to the bathroom multiple times per night, you may be one of 40 million Americans unknowingly living with nocturia.
Nocturia is considered one of the most common sleep-related conditions impacting adults today, with an estimated 50 million American adults suffering from it (only 10 million people are actually diagnosed).
Signs You Have Nocturia
The condition’s primary indicator is excessive urination during the night. However, there are also many symptoms associated with nocturia that result from receiving an inadequate amount of sleep.
The symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Drowsiness
- Memory Loss
- Uncharacteristically Short Attention Span
A 2019 study found that sleep deprivation doubles the odds of making place-keeping errors, such as skipping letters or words when writing or forgetting an important step of a daily work task, and triples the likelihood of distraction.
Like with most sleep disorders, there are many associated conditions that can develop over time due to sleep deprivation caused by nocturia. These associated conditions include, but are not limited to:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Glucose Intolerance
- Heart Disease
- Hypertension
- Depression
- Anxiety
Common Misdiagnoses
It’s not uncommon for nocturia to be misdiagnosed. Many adults believe frequent nighttime urination is a “normal” part of aging and therefore don’t bring it up to their doctor. Physicians also commonly confuse nocturia with overactive bladder (OAB) or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
The frequent, sudden, and sometimes uncontrollable urge to urinate during both the day and night is distinctive to OAB. Nocturia, however, occurs only during sleep.
BPH, on the other hand, is a bit unique, as nocturia is actually a specific symptom of BPH. Those who suffer from BPH, though, also experience additional symptoms such as difficulty urinating and being unable to fully empty their bladder.
While the ideal outcome of nocturia treatment is to completely rid a patient of the condition, sometimes that’s simply not obtainable, depending on its severity. A recommended goal is to reduce nighttime nocturia disturbances by 50%.
The first step on the path to restful sleep is to schedule an appointment with your doctor or sleep specialist like Star Sleep & Wellness’ very own who is able to take a comprehensive and individualized approach to treating your sleep disorder head-on. Nocturia doesn’t have to control your life. Schedule your first appointment today by clicking here.
Want to learn more about nocturia? Read our blog, Sleep Disorders 101: Nocturia, here.