Nocturia Waking up at night to urinate

This symptom consists of waking up during the night to urinate. First of all, it should be noted that the need to urinate at night is the most frequent cause of sleep fragmentation in both sexes and in all age groups.

Nocturia is not a problem exclusive to men who suffer from the prostate, as it usually results from the excessive production of urine by the kidneys during the sleep period.

This symptom can also be aggravated by poor clinical control of some underlying diseases such as high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetes, so a careful medical history and ongoing medication review is essential.

Nocturia is also related to obesity and diabetes, as well as the increased risk of falling and fracturing bones.

Urinating at night is not normal (even if it occurs only once) and the consequences of nocturia should not be underestimated at all. As would be expected, the impact of nocturia on sleep quality is all the more pronounced the greater the number of night trips to the bathroom. Daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory deterioration and the inability to perform the respective tasks on the following day are obvious consequences of this symptom.

The realization of a bladder diary to record the number of visits to the toilet and the respective volume of each urination, during the day and during the night, is essential for an accurate diagnosis.

In addition to the initial therapeutic adjustments and conservative measures, there is effective medication to treat this problem, which can and should be individualized, by assessing the affected patient.