If you’re waking up repeatedly to urinate at night, this is called nocturia. Waking once can be common, particularly with aging, but regularly waking more than once a night can disrupt sleep and may be worth discussing with a clinician.
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Why it happens
There are several possible causes:
Drinking a lot of fluid in the evening, especially coffee, tea, cola or alcohol.
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An overactive bladder, which can create a sudden urge even when the bladder isn’t very full.
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Enlarged prostate in men, which can make it difficult to empty the bladder completely.
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Diabetes, which can cause increased urine production and thirst.
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Urinary tract infection, particularly when frequent urination comes with burning, urgency or cloudy/strong-smelling urine.
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Heart or kidney problems, which can cause extra fluid to be eliminated at night.
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Certain medications, particularly medicines that increase urine production.
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Sleep problems, including sleep apnea, can also be associated with nighttime urination.
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What you can try
1. Adjust evening fluids.
If your clinician hasn’t told you to maintain a specific fluid intake, consider reducing fluids during the few hours before bedtime. Don’t severely restrict fluids, because dehydration can cause its own problems.
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2. Limit caffeine and alcohol later in the day.
Both can increase nighttime urinary problems.
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3. Empty your bladder before bed.
4. Review your medications with your doctor.
If you’re taking a water pill/diuretic, the timing may sometimes contribute to nighttime urination. Don’t change the timing yourself without medical advice.
5. Keep a bladder diary.
For several days, record what and when you drink, when you urinate, approximate amounts, and how many times you wake at night. This can help a clinician identify the pattern.
When you should get checked
Make an appointment if nighttime urination is new, persistent, worsening, or interfering with sleep, particularly if you also have excessive thirst, daytime fatigue, a weak urine stream, difficulty emptying your bladder, or frequent urgency.
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Seek prompt medical care if you have blood in the urine, painful urination, fever, significant abdominal/side/back pain, or inability to urinate.
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Mayo Clinic
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One important point: frequent nighttime urination isn’t simply something you have to accept as “normal aging.” There is often an identifiable cause, and many causes can be treated.
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