This article is a translation of the following Japanese article:
Original: 夜間頻尿と睡眠障害の関係｜なぜ夜中に目が覚めるのかを詳しく解説
“I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and can’t sleep afterwards”
“I can’t get a good night’s sleep because the bathroom is so close”
“I feel like I’m sleeping less…”
Behind such troubles is the
relationship between nocturnal urination and sleep disorders.
Nocturnal urination is deeply related to
the quality of sleep itself, as well as
toilet problems.
Author
“Which one is the cause? “We tend to worry about this, but in reality, they often influence each other🌙”
What is nocturia?
Nocturia is a condition in which
you wake up more than once at night with the urge to urinate while you are asleep.
Medically,
- 0 times: No problem
- Once: Often depending on age
- More than 2 times: Quality of life is likely to be affected
It is considered.
What is a sleep disorder?
Sleep disorders are
- Difficulty sleeping
- Wake up many times during the night
- I wake up early in the morning
- I don’t feel like I slept
This refers to a condition that persists and
disturbs daytime life.
Nocturnal urination is said to be particularly closely related to this “type of sleep disorder that causes you to wake up in the middle of the night.”
How are nocturnal urination and sleep disorders connected?
✔ ① If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll be more likely to wake up with the urge to urinate
Normally during deep sleep
- Hard to feel the urge to urinate
- Does not wake up with some stimulation
It will be in state.
However,
- Stress
- Uneasy
- Disturbance of life rhythm
When your sleep becomes shallow due to reasons such as
your brain reacts to even the slightest urge to urinate and wakes you up.
As a result,
you may feel like you have to get up to the toilet more often.
Author
“There are many cases where the urination is due to an urge to urinate that can actually be tolerated.”
✔ ② Nocturnal urination disrupts sleep
On the other hand
- Wake up with the urge to urinate
- Go to the toilet
- Unable to fall back asleep
If this trend continues,
the quality of your sleep will significantly decrease.
Especially as you get older,
- It takes a long time to fall asleep again
- Sleep becomes shallow
As a result,
nocturnal urination can easily lead to sleep disorders.
✔ ③ Relationship between antidiuretic hormone and sleep
At night,
antidiuretic hormone is normally secreted,
reducing the amount of urine.
However,
- Low sleep
- Many late night owls
- Sleep rhythm is disrupted
This hormone secretion may not work properly,
and the amount of urine may increase at night.
Author
“A cycle occurs in which sleep is disrupted → urination increases → more waking up occurs.”
Case where sleep disorder is hidden behind nocturnal urination
If you have any of the following characteristics,
The main cause may be on your sleeping side.
- I am aware that I sleep poorly
- I wake up without having to go to the bathroom
- A lot of anxiety and thoughts
- I wake up in the middle of the night on holidays as well
In this case,
improving your sleep environment and lifestyle rhythm is more important than “bladder problems.”
Why sleep disorders worsen nocturia
✔ Disturbance of autonomic nervous system
Lack of sleep or shallow sleep is caused by
- Disturbs autonomic nervous system
- Improve bladder sensation
This will
make it easier to feel a strong urge to urinate.
✔ Disturbance of hormone secretion
Sleep is
- Urine volume adjustment
- Water balance in the body
.
If you don’t get enough sleep,
you will have trouble controlling your urine at night.
How to deal with it starting today (emphasis on sleep)
✔ ① Not only for toilet preparation, but also for “sleep”
To prevent nocturnal urination,
Toilet measures + sleep measures are important.
- Avoid using your smartphone before bed
- Dim the lighting
- Keep the bedroom quiet
This alone may reduce waking up during the night.
Author
“Many people think it’s a urinary problem, but it turns out it’s a sleep problem.”
✔ ② Fix your bedtime routine
- Get into bed at the same time every day
- Make time to relax before bed
When your body clock is adjusted,
your sleep and urine output will become more stable.
✔ ③ Keep your body cool
Coldness is
- Increases the urge to urinate
- Sleep less
Affects both.
Keeping your abdomen, lower back, and feet warm
is effective for both nocturnal urination and sleep.
Guidelines for considering medical institutions
In the following cases,
consider consulting a urologist or sleep outpatient clinic.
- Wake up to go to the bathroom at least twice every night
- Extremely sleepy during the day
- Snoring and irregular breathing
- Symptoms suddenly worsened
Sleep apnea syndrome may be hidden behind nocturnal urination.
Summary | Consider nocturia and sleep disorders as a set
✨ Poor sleep
→ Easily wakes up with the urge to urinate
✨ Frequent urination at night
→ Breaks up sleep and makes sleep even shallower
✨ Key to improvement
→ Toilet measures + review of sleeping environment
Author
“Waking up in the middle of the night may be a sign from your body that it wants you to sleep better.
Now that you’ve noticed, it’s a chance to reconsider🌙”
- What is the relationship between growing pains and sports? ｜Can I continue exercising? Correct judgment and care when pain occurs
- How lack of exercise affects the body and how to improve it | Healthy habits that even busy people can do
- What happens if you continue to lack sleep? Easy-to-understand explanation of the effects on the body and mind
- Why can’t I stop eating sweets? The real reason to think with your body and mind
- What to do if you feel bloated or have gas while working | Tips you can do even in a quiet workplace
