I used to get up at least twice a night to urinate, breaking my sleep. It was like clock work, around midnight and early morning at 0431. It was so regular I decided to play that number, needless to say I didn’t win. That routine left me feeling tired in the morning and cranky at times. Getting up more than once at night to urinate is called nocturia. If you are experiencing nocturia it may be your body is making too much urine, your bladder can’t hold it for long periods of time or maybe both.

There are multiple causes of nocturia, such as lifestyle choices, health conditions, and medications. The most common reason is aging. I live a fairly healthy lifestyle and take no medications, so for me it was aging. The bladder as we age, like other organs looses elasticity. It is unable to hold as much urine as it used to. Thus frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.

In older men, an enlarged prostate could be the reason. Because the bladder is unable to totally empty out, resulting in more trips to the bathroom during the night. Women who have had multiple children may have weaker pelvic muscles. As well women who have gone through menopause have reduced estrogen which can impact the urinary tract.

The most common medical conditions that affect the bladder are heart conditions, diabetes, liver failure, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, overactive bladder, prostate tumor, pregnancy, and obesity. Many medications have nocturia as a side effect. Diuretics, prescribed to rid the body of edema, or fluid buildup in your lower extremities will definitely cause you to pee more often at night. One resolution is to speak with your physician to see if it can be taken earlier in the day.

Be sure to identify exactly what is causing your nocturia. Other causes may be sleep disorders, chronic pain, anxiety or depression. All of these can interrupt your normal sleep pattern. Talk to your doctor about how to resolve your disorder naturally.

I want to share with you how I stopped peeing so much at night. If you have been following me for awhile you are aware I seek natural remedies whenever possible. One of the things I started doing may sound odd, but it works for me. I eat a handful of raisins, about 30 before going to bed. It is effective , try it for seven nights and see if it makes a difference for you. An added benefit of the raisins is they keep your bowels moving regularly. I also stopped drinking beverages at bedtime and started strengthening my pelvic floor by doing Kegel exercises. I will discuss the latter two in more detail.

There are certain foods and drinks that are irritating to your bladder. Some of them are alcohol, chocolate, coffee and teas, processed foods, tomatoes, tomato sauce and salsa. Hot sauce, chili peppers, wasabi, or other spicy foods. Also anything acidic like fruit juice, oranges, and grapefruit. I used to have a bedtime snack every night, I gave it up, ate my raisins and found myself able to sleep through the night.

The pelvic floor in women and men are different. The pelvic floor for women supports the uterus, bladder, small intestine, and the rectum. For men it supports the bladder and urethra. Doing Kegel exercises strengthens the pelvic floor. You can perform Kegel exercises at anytime. While you are sitting at your desk at work, at your computer, or watching TV, do them. You can also do them while laying down as well. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold for five seconds, then relax for five seconds. Do the exercise four to five times in a row a few times a week. I do them three times a week. Your pelvic floor will be stronger in a few weeks. A benefit of a stronger pelvic floor is better sex. Who doesn’t want that? Lol.

If you are experiencing nocturia try these solutions for a full nights sleep. They do work!

Peace, Love, and Blessings