Peeing frequently at night? Here's what that could mean, according to health experts.
Peeing frequently at night? Here's what that could mean, according to health experts.
Show Caption
Hide Caption
What causes urinary tract infections?
A UTI is an infection of your bladder, kidneys or the tubes that connect them, typically caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract.
Cover Media - Shareable
It's 2 a.m., and you know the blinding light you just flickered on to use the bathroom is about to ruin your sleep. But when you've got to go, you've got to.
Nocturia, known colloquially as frequent nighttime urination, is common. More than 50 million people in the U.S. suffer, according to the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Library of Medicine. And roughly half of adults over the age of 65 have reported getting up at least once every night to use the bathroom.
"Waking up to urinate can either be a warning sign or an actual sign of a health issue you may not be aware of or a health issue that is not being properly treated," Dr. Justin Dubin, a urologist and men's health specialist at Memorial Healthcare System in South Florida and a co-host of the Man Up podcast, tells USA TODAY.
First, let's be clear about how nighttime urination is actually counted. Nocturia refers to urinating after a period of sleep, so simply heading to the bathroom after sundown doesn't count. Nocturia can be caused by a number of factors, including sleep disorders, excessive urine production, problems with bladder capacity and hormonal issues, per NIH.
Sometimes, waking up to go to the bathroom is just waking up to go to the bathroom. But how do you know when it's an issue worth bringing up to a doctor? Here's what medical professionals say.
Is your pee cloudy? Here's what medical experts say that could mean.
How many times is it normal to urinate at night?
Waking up once a night every once in a while is usually OK, Dubin says. But you should generally be able to sleep six to eight hours without having to do so.
"Consistently waking up two or more times every night? That is considered abnormal," he adds.
If you feel like you fit the description of nocturia, it may be worth it to take stock of how much fluid you're consuming two hours before bedtime, "especially alcohol and caffeine," which are both diuretics, meaning they make you urinate more frequently, Dubin notes.
Hmm: Certain foods can cause changes in urine, but so can medical conditions. Know the signs.
Why am I peeing so much?
Frequent nighttime urination can sometimes be an indicator of further health issues, experts say. Sometimes it isn't; Certain medications that are classified as diuretics, such as water pills, some heart medications and lithium can be the culprit. If that's the case, you can ask your doctor if you'd benefit from taking the medication in the morning, rather than right before bed.
But even if your nocturia isn't a warning sign for other health issues, the loss of sleep is likely enough reason to seek help.
"It is worth bringing up to your doctor, especially if it bothers you," Dubin says. "There are a lot of possible causes for you to be waking up at night and talking to your doctor will allow them to appropriately evaluate your history, your lifestyle and your overall health to see what is causing you to wake up at night. If you have specific health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure or prostate issues, the solution to your problem is treating your health issues."
Health experts will typically recommend patients try a mix of behavioral therapy, lifestyle changes and medication to relieve significant nocturia, according to the NIH.
"Like anything with your health, if something feels off or bothers you, it's important you go talk with a doctor," Dubin says. "Remember, we can't help you if you don't come in to talk with us."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
12 hours ago
- UPI
NIH office to phase out HIV guidelines by next year
The National Institutes of Health office responsible for issuing federal guidelines related to treatment of HIV and AIDS patients in the United States is making major changes. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo June 21 (UPI) -- The National Institutes of Health office responsible for issuing federal guidelines related to treatment of HIV and AIDS patients in the United States is making major changes. The NIH Office of AIDS Research or OAR told its employees this week it intends to phase out the guidelines by next June, the Washington Post reported, citing an internal staff email. According to the office, OAR "coordinates HIV/AIDS research across the National Institutes of Health and provides the largest public investment in HIV/AIDS research globally." "In the climate of budget decreases and revised priorities, OAR is beginning to explore options to transfer management of the guidelines to another agency within" the letter obtained by The Post reads. The OAR guidelines contain guidelines related to diagnosis and treatments of HIV and AIDS. There are currently more than 1 million people living with HIV in the United States. It was not immediately clear what the other agency referred to in the letter was or how such a move may affect the guideline, the Post reported. The news comes as President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio move to cut over $8 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID and merge it into the State Department. State Department officials say the move comes with the expectation that other countries will increase their roles in delivering aid around the world. An April report published in the Lancet medical journal found around half a million children globally could die from AIDS by 2030 if the United States cuts its global relief funding. Earlier this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved use of the HIV drug lenacapavir, which is produced by California-based biopharma firm Gilead Sciences under the name Yeztugo. "Yeztugo is one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of our time and offers a very real opportunity to help end the HIV epidemic," Gilead Science Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel O'Day said in a statement on the company's website
Washington Post
20 hours ago
- Washington Post
Administration to phase out NIH support of HIV clinical guidelines
The National Institutes of Health's support for federal guidelines that steer the treatment of more than a million HIV patients in the United States will be phased out by next June, according to the agency's Office of AIDS Research, a move that troubled some doctors and raised questions about whether the guidelines themselves will change. It is unclear whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to bring the guidance in line with his own controversial views about an infectious disease that 30 years ago was the leading cause of death for people 25 to 44 years old. The Office of AIDS Research, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, informed members of the panels responsible for the guidelines in a letter that, 'in the climate of budget decreases and revised priorities, OAR is beginning to explore options to transfer management of the guidelines to another agency within' HHS. The guidelines, detailed recommendations on how to diagnose and treat medical conditions, can affect what tests, treatments and medications are covered by insurance companies and Medicare, said Aniruddha Hazra, associate professor of medicine at University of Chicago Medicine. The lack of clarity in the letter caused some in the medical community to worry that switching oversight of the guidelines to another branch of HHS could be a first step by the Trump administration toward more drastic changes in the government's treatment recommendations. 'From a practical standpoint, it's monumental,' Hazra said of the news about the guidelines, which he called the basis for much of the knowledge about HIV. 'The loss of this kind of federal guidance throws everything into the dark,' he said. Hazra described the guidelines as a dynamic document that changes at least once or twice a year as new studies and scientific evidence come to light. Guidelines for HIV are divided into a half-dozen categories, including sets for adults/adolescents, pediatric patients, pregnant women and HIV patients who are displaced by natural disasters. The webpage listing the guidelines now says they are 'being updated to comply with Executive Orders,' raising the question of whether sections dealing with care for transgender people with HIV may be changed or eliminated. The letter sent to panel members did not say specifically if or how the clinical practice guidelines might change, only that 'Together, we now have an opportunity to develop a proactive, careful transition plan for each Panel.' The letter noted that 'a special session on guidelines sustainability planning' has been scheduled for Thursday with panel leadership and the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council. Officials at NIH referred questions to the Department of Health and Human Services, which did not respond to emails requesting clarification of the letter. Kennedy has long espoused controversial views about HIV, suggesting that contrary to widely held medical belief, the virus was not the cause of AIDS. In a video posted on Twitter in 2023, Kennedy tells an audience, 'A hundred percent of the people who died at first, the first thousand who had AIDS, were people who were addicted to [a class of drugs called] poppers. … They were people who were part of a gay lifestyle. They were burning the candle at both ends, and they were taking a lot of injectable drugs.' Under Kennedy, HHS has terminated hundreds of millions of dollars in HIV-related research grants. The department closed its Office of Infectious Diseases & HIV Policy that coordinated the federal response to the virus. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lost staff in its HIV prevention division who conducted studies and surveillance, ran health campaigns and supported local prevention programs. 'These guidelines serve as a reference for the world in addition to caring for people in the U.S.,' said Theodore Ruel, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Global Health at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, and co-chair of one of the panels responsible for the guidelines. 'It is disappointing that such a key guideline about HIV for children in the USA will no longer be supported by the NIH,' said Ruel — whose panel examines antiretroviral therapy for the medical management of children living with HIV — stressing that he was not speaking for the other panelists. 'I am concerned that we are unlikely to find a new home that can maintain the same depth, quality, access and capacity for real-time updating.' He expressed faith that the panelists would push to find a home for the guidelines where they can continue to offer 'science-driven support' for doctors and patients. James M. Sosman, medical director for UW Health's HIV Care and Prevention Program, who has been caring for people with the disease for decades, said that having the guidelines under the auspices of the Office of AIDS Research made sense. 'Would I look to move that? I'm reluctant because it's like, 'Hey, if you've got a guy that's hitting home runs at third base, don't move them to first base,'' Sosman said. 'I mean if it's working out, why are you disrupting this for costs that don't seem that great.'
Axios
a day ago
- Axios
Vanderbilt University Medical Center announces up to 650 layoffs
Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced Friday that up to 650 people would be laid off as the institution scrambles to respond to the Trump administration's steep cuts to medical research. The big picture: The Trump administration is pursuing massive cuts to National Institutes of Health research grants and to the Department of Health and Human Services. The budget bill pending in Congress proposes deep cuts to Medicaid, which provides health insurance to 83 million low-income adults and their children. Aggressive cuts have put research hospitals across the country on their heels. VUMC president and CEO Jeff Balser previously warned that the federal cuts would lead to layoffs and hobbled research projects. Flashback: In March, VUMC announced plans to slash its budget by $250 million because of the Trump administration's spending cuts. At the time, Balser said more cuts and layoffs could be needed as the scope of the funding fallout became clear. The latest: In a new statement Friday, VUMC said operating costs would be cut by $300 million due to "budgetary actions in Washington, DC related to government-sponsored research and patient care." Layoffs will hit up to 650 employees "primarily in research, administrative and other support areas." That total includes employees who were already laid off earlier this year as well as a new round of reductions that began Friday. VUMC announced staffing reductions in a video message to employees. What they're saying:"While this is extremely difficult, the staffing loss represents less than 2% of VUMC's total workforce," the VUMC statement read. Laid off employees will get severance and "other assistance." "VUMC sees more than 3.5 million patient visits each year and remains committed to meeting the needs of all who depend on us for health care."
