
Do you wake up, to go to the toilet every 2 hours or so? Then maybe you have a health condition known as Nocturia. Find out what causes frequent urination in women at night…
Nocturia is the term used to describe ‘frequent urination at night’ among both men and women. An underlying health condition can cause nocturia. The only exception is pregnancy; when wanting to urinate often is a common phenomenon for women. This health condition has deprived millions of people of sleep, as they sometimes need to wake up 6-8 times in order to relieve themselves. The person with nocturia may feel sleepy and tired throughout the day, which in return affects his/her work as well as relationships with colleagues, friends, and family.
Causes of Frequent Urination in Women
#1 – Pregnancy
The number one factor that causes frequent urination is pregnancy. Fortunately, it resolves, within a few weeks post delivery. The ever-growing fetus applies excessive pressure on the pelvis, and the bladder. The second reason being that, the fluid ratio in a woman’s body increases substantially during this period. The blood count in the body increases substantially which causes the kidneys to process more fluids, than it has been conditioned to.
#2 – Diuretic Pills
Diuretic medications are water pills, that are prescribed so as to remove excess water from the system. Therefore, the urge to urinate is a natural side effect of this medication. Nonetheless, if this tendency is keeping you awake all night, speak to your doctor about switching the timings of the intake of this medication. In which case, you may have the pills during the day and thus enjoy peaceful sleep during the nights. If not, try switching to alternative medications that are non-diuretic in nature.
#3 – Lifestyle
Often, it is our own habits, and lifestyle that makes us unhealthy in the long run. For instance, drinking excessive alcohol has long-term repercussion on our health, especially when it becomes a daily routine. Therefore, it’s better to cut down or completely stop the consumption of alcohol. If you must drink, make it a point to control your intake to the bare minimum.
#4 – Diabetes
A common symptom of diabetes is the urge to urinate often or several times during the night. Diabetes Mellitus makes the person excessively thirsty and this results in a condition known as polyphagia or excessive urination. Diabetes also causes fatigue. The only way to control the urge to urinate, is to bring down the level of blood sugar. Consult your doctor on the type of diet you should follow, so as to help control the sugar levels.
#5 – Aging
As we age we begin to grow weaker and the same applies to all our muscles. The bladder muscles being no exception to this. The bladder walls find it hard to retain and hold fluids for long periods of time. This is the reason why elderly women experience problems in holding their urine for long. If the problem aggravates, then seeking treatment may perhaps be the only solution left at hand.
#6 – Infection
Infections such as UTI and yeast infection, are very prominent reasons for frequent urination. These pathogens cause a severe imbalance in the pH levels in a woman’s body. Since the pH becomes acidic, it directly affects the bladder and thus leads to frequent urination, especially at night. In case you are suffering from an infection or have recently recovered from one, the chances of it having weakened your bladder are likely. Get yourself checked by a gynecologist who will help determine the exact cause. An infection must be treated as soon as possible, it should not spread to the rest of the organs along the urinary tract.
#7 – Urinary Incontinence
Often known as the Nurse’s bladder syndrome, this problem in highly common among women. It occurs when the bladder muscles weaken out. One of the reason being, the habit of holding the urine in, for long hours even though you really want to go relieve yourself. This is an extremely unhealthy practice as it weakens the bladder and to add to it, it increases the urea produced by the kidneys. Urea in high levels can damage the kidneys and cause several other health hazards. Also seen in women who are excessively over weight or obese. Medications, sometimes are responsible for causing incontinence as well. Seek medical help so as to determine the exact cause.
#8 – STDs
A severe or prolonged case of an STD, of any type may cause incontinence problems in women. The urinary track gets infected, and weakens due to the bacterial, or viral strain, thereby making it difficult for the bladder walls to retain urine. A new bout of infection will usually be accompanied with vaginal discharge, rashes, and burning sensation while urinating. Immediate medical assistance is a must in such a scenario.
#9 – Menopause
Estrogen levels drop significantly during menopause, which in turn causes hormonal imbalances in a woman’s body. Estrogen also plays a very important role in maintaining the strength, and health of the urethra, and bladder. Therefore, when estrogen levels plummet, it weakens the muscles, and retention of the bladder, thereby causing incontinence.
#10 – Stress Induced Incontinence
Women who undergo severe stress, trauma, and anxiety, are comparatively more susceptible to incontinence. Stress can hamper our neurological capabilities and can weaken the receptiveness of nerve endings on the bladder, thereby reducing its retention abilities. Frequent urination is a sign of anxiety among, children, adults, and especially older people. The only alternative is to calm yourself down, exercise, meditate, and heal your mind.
The conditions mentioned in this article can be controlled to a large extent through proper medication, changes in lifestyle, and through a healthy diet. Apart from the conventional methods of treatment, it is found that yoga helps strengthen the bladder muscles among both sexes. Kegel exercises are excellent for this purpose. Therefore, making yoga a part of your daily regime will definitely bring about positive results in your entire well-being.
Disclaimer: This HerHaleness article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.