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Have you ever been awakened by a soak of urine in the middle of the night? It may not be a strange feeling, and you struggle to get out of bed before you can fall back asleep. At the same time, some people can sleep until dawn and never be disturbed by nocturia.
Nocturia may seem like a common phenomenon, but there are many secrets behind it. Today, let's uncover the secrets of nocturia, find out who is normal with nocturia and nocturia, and discuss how to improve our sleep quality.
Before exploring this question, we need to understand what nocturia is and its effects. Nocturia refers to the act of having to get up to urinate at night when you want to urinate.
According to relevant data, about 25% of adults in China have varying degrees of nocturnal polyuria, which means that on average, one in four adults will wake up at night to urinate. This phenomenon has a direct impact on the quality of people's sleep and their mental state the next day.
What's all about nocturia? Why is this happening? Let's start from the traditional concept of traditional Chinese medicine, the phrase "if you don't sleep all night, it will be difficult to make up for it in a hundred days" fully reflects the importance of sleep to human health.
A good quality sleep requires not only sufficient time, but more importantly a stable sleep onset process, less nocturia disturbances, and a good sleep depth. The occurrence of nocturia interrupts this continuous sleep cycle, which in turn leads to a decrease in sleep quality.
In medicine, the amount of urine that occurs at night and accounts for more than one-third of the urine volume throughout the day is called nocturia or nocturnal polyuria. There are many reasons for the occurrence of nocturia, including physiological factors and pathological factors.
1. The main cause of nocturia
1. Physiological factors
Aging: As people age, their kidney function gradually declines, resulting in an increase in nighttime urine output. Especially in the elderly population, the frequency of urination at night is more, which is the main reason why the elderly are more likely to wake up at night.
Heart problems: Decreased heart function can also trigger nocturia. Because the workload of the heart decreases during nighttime rest, the amount of blood returning to the heart increases, resulting in increased renal filtration.
Individual differences: Everyone's physiological conditions are different, and some people have relatively small bladder capacity or are particularly sensitive to the urge to urinate at night, which can also lead to frequent night wake-ups. In addition, the psychological factor cannot be ignored. Modern society is stressful, and people are prone to be in a state of tension and anxiety, which can also affect bladder function.
2. Pathological factors
Diabetes: Large fluctuations in blood sugar levels can also cause nocturia. In diabetic patients, because sugar cannot be completely reabsorbed by the kidneys, excess sugar will be excreted in the urine, increasing urine output.
Hypertensive disorders: Hypertensive disorders can lead to arteriolar sclerosis and microvascular damage, which can further cause hemodynamic abnormalities in the kidneys and increase nocturnal urine output.
Prostate disease: In men, an enlarged prostate can compress the urethra, causing poor urination, which can lead to repeated awakenings during the night.
2. Diagnosis and differentiation of nocturia
Nocturia is considered when there are multiple urination during the night and the amount exceeds a certain amount (the specific criteria depend on the individual situation).
However, it is important to note that not all nocturnal urination can be called nocturia, and temporary nocturnal polyuria caused by drinking plenty of water before bedtime must be ruled out.
3. Characteristics and significance of nocturia
Those who don't get up to urinate at night tend to have better kidney metabolism and can efficiently use water in their bodies and excrete most of it during the day.
These people usually have a large bladder capacity and are able to store urine well without frequent awakenings due to increased urine output at night. In addition, their nervous system is also more stable and less susceptible to the disturbance of nocturnal urination.
4. How to distinguish "normal" nocturia from abnormal nocturia?
In general, a small amount of urination at night without obvious pathological factors can be considered a manifestation of changes in the physiological range. However, if severe nocturia symptoms occur (such as waking up two or more times a night, accompanied by other abnormalities such as frequent urination, blood in the urine), it is a cause for concern.
Specific judgment bases include:
whether you go to the toilet more than twice at night;
whether it is difficult to control the urge to urinate at night to the extent that it interferes with normal sleep;
whether it is accompanied by painful urination or other symptoms of urinary tract infection;
whether the urine color is abnormal, etc.
5. Tips for improving sleep at night
Since nocturia can affect the quality of our sleep, is there a way to reduce or even eliminate it?
1. Control your nighttime hydration: Reducing the amount of water you drink closer to bedtime is an important step. In particular, be careful not to consume stimulant beverages such as coffee or strong tea.
These drinks may cause your bladder to overmove, which can cause you to wake up more frequently during the night. Try not to drink water for 2 hours before bedtime to help avoid increased urine output at night.
2. Develop a regular routine: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time. A regular routine regulates your body clock and helps form a stable urination habit.
If you can, try not to take a nap for too long, otherwise it will affect the quality of sleep at night. At the same time, ensuring a comfortable and quiet bedroom is also one of the key factors in getting a good night's sleep.
3. Exercise in moderation to boost physical strength: Exercise not only helps burn off excess calories in the body, but also strengthens the body's metabolic capacity. Proper physical activity can also improve the quality of sleep and make it less likely to wake up during the night.
It is recommended to maintain at least half an hour of moderate-intensity exercise every day.
4. Relaxation: Long-term high pressure can cause the body to have a stress response, which can lead to various adverse reactions, and nocturia is one of them. Therefore, it is very important to maintain a happy mood.
You can use yoga, meditation or listening to music to relieve the mental pressure caused by work and study, so that the body can be truly relaxed.
5. Adjust your diet: Avoid eating too much spicy and greasy food to avoid increasing the burden on your kidneys. At the same time, eating more fresh vegetables and fruits is conducive to supplementing nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and helping to maintain the balance of water and electrolytes in the body.
6. Check your body regularly: If you have been suffering from nocturia for a long time and it doesn't work after trying the above methods, it is advisable to go to the hospital for a comprehensive medical check-up to look for some hidden diseases.
In short, through the comprehensive application of the above measures, we can greatly improve or even completely solve the problem of nocturnal polyuria. Only with good sleep quality can you lay a solid foundation for the rest of your life.
Finally, I would like to remind you that everyone's physical condition is different, and you should listen to the advice of professionals before taking any adjustments, and formulate a suitable plan according to your actual situation.
Whether you are a nocturia or someone who does not, you don't need to worry too much, the key is to find a solution to the problem that works for you and actively put it into practice.
I hope that through this article, you can more clearly understand the dangers of nocturia, and learn some effective management methods to help you have a healthy sleep pattern as soon as possible.
The above content is for reference only, if you feel unwell, please consult a medical professional. If you like it, you can pay attention to it, share health knowledge every day, and be your exclusive online doctor.