While it’s not uncommon for us to get up once in a while during the night to use the washroom, research suggests that getting up too frequently may be an indication of hypertension [1]. Frequent nightly urination, also known as nocturia is associated with and can be one of the early symptoms of congestive heart failure [2][3].
Why We Get Up To Pee At Night
Typically we should be able to get between 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. However, those who wake up to urinate frequently, do not have a normal sleep cycle. There are many reasons why you might get up to pee at night: [4]
- High fluid intake
- Drinking alcohol or caffeine at night
- Small bladder capacity
- High blood pressure [2],[1]
- Untreated diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2)
- Pregnancy
- Water retention
- Sleep apnea
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men [5]
- Certain drugs such as diuretics, cardiac glycosides, demeclocycline, lithium, methoxyflurane, phenytoin, propoxyphene, and excessive vitamin D [4]
Read More: Group in Boulder Drinks Their Own Pee for ‘Health Benefits’
