Frequent Night Time Urination and Nocturia Sleep Apnea

If you toss and turn or wake up often to use the bathroom you may have Nocturia. Nocturia is not only a common issue with adults but also a symptom of Sleep Apnea.

Frequent Nighttime Urination

Frequent nighttime urination is a problem as we age due to a natural breakdown of the hormones which control our bladder. This problem is so prevalent in older adults that the National Sleep Foundation found that as many as 65% of adults are impacted by sleep deprivation the next day due to Nocturia. Waking yourself out of a deep sleep to use the restroom clearly impacts REM sleep, but often even if you can fall back asleep you may lie restlessly awake or not be able to re-enter REM sleep. If nighttime urination occurs more than 4-5 times per night, then it's considered a significant health problem.

General behavior guidelines for what to not eat should always be considered as the first step to avoiding Nocturia. Rules such as no liquids before bed and avoiding diuretics such as coffee, tea and alcohol can help ease the problem.

Nocturia and Sleep Apnea

Recent studies have also shown that Nocturia and Sleep Apnea are tightly linked- frequent nighttime urination can be directly attributed to Sleep Apnea and is one of the strongest indicators in diagnosing Sleep Apnea. In fact, when you are compliant in treating Sleep Apnea, Nocturia is dramatically reduced and can stop impacting you during the day.

See your doctor who can prescribe anti-diuretic drugs if you are still impacted by frequent nighttime urination while maintaining compliant use of CPAP equipment.