One of the most frustrating things to happen while you’re asleep is waking up needing to use the bathroom. For some individuals, this may only happen once or twice a week, but what about those who experience these frequent interruptions multiple times each night? If this sounds like you, read on to learn the causes of a common disorder known as nocturia and how a sleep dentist can help.
What Are the Reasons Nocturia Develops?
You want to get the rest you desperately need, but your bladder keeps alerting you that a bathroom visit is essential. Why does this keep happening? Here are a few reasons:
- You are drinking an excessive amount of fluids throughout the day, especially before bed, which is causing your bladder to remain full. At night, while you’re asleep, it signals your brain to wake up so that you can get to the bathroom to empty it.
- You are drinking alcohol or caffeine before bedtime, which is known to increase your chances of needing to urinate throughout the night.
- You are taking diuretics or other medications to help alleviate excess fluid within the body.
- You are pregnant, and your baby’s position is resting on what feels like your bladder.
- Your body is experiencing a change in its circadian rhythm, causing you to urinate more frequently at night.
- You have obstructive sleep apnea.
- You have a urinary tract infection (UTI), or you have a decreased bladder capacity.
What Can You Do to Treat Nocturia?
Since nocturia can be a urinary issue or a sleep problem, it’s best to schedule an appointment with a sleep specialist who can offer the necessary tests and treatment options.
A qualified expert can discuss your overall health and lifestyle habits to help narrow down the potential cause of your nocturia. This will determine the most effective way to address the issue and improve your symptoms.
Your sleep expert might suggest undergoing a sleep study to determine if airway obstruction may be the culprit behind your frequent urination. They might also recommend taking certain medications or making lifestyle changes to lower the chances of nighttime interruptions. It’s also possible you may need sleep apnea treatment, like CPAP therapy or the use of an oral appliance, to address cessation of breathing throughout the night.
The symptoms of nocturia can improve if you allow a sleep expert to properly evaluate your case. Once appropriate treatment is provided, you will begin spending less time in the bathroom and more time getting the sleep you need.
About the Practice
At Star Sleep & Wellness in McKinney, our sleep experts treat all types of patients, each with varying symptoms that can be attributed to sleep apnea. When nocturia is evident, we do our best to suggest helpful ways to stop nighttime urination so that a person can get the kind of uninterrupted rest they need. Contact us to schedule an appointment if you’re ready to take back your sleep once and for all.