This article discusses common causes of frequent urination at night.
It’s possible for one or more to be at play.
Age
Age is one of the main factors associated with nocturia.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
One well-known aging-related cause is a condition callednocturnal polyuria(NP).
With this, the body makes high volumes of urine during sleep.
The prevalence of nocturnal polyuria increases with age.
Around 77% of older women and 93% of older men have the condition.
Younger people (especially kids) get nocturia simply because their bladders have not reached their full size yet.
The amount of urine that’s made at night can be more than the organ can hold.
Can Someone Really Have a Small Bladder?
There is negligible, if any, variation in adult bladder sizes.
This is typically due to a medical condition.
Lifestyle and Diet
The need to urinate at night can also be diet-related.
Medications
Nocturia can also be a side effect of certain medications.
Adjusting the timing of your dose may help with nocturia.
If not, you might need to try a different drug.
Speak with your healthcare provider before stopping or switching medications.
Nocturia is often the continuation of urinary urgency that a person has during the day.
Once the cause of the inflammation is treated, the nocturia will usually get better.
Chronic Conditions
Nocturia can also be a symptom of a chronic condition.
In these cases, it can go on for a long time and be hard to treat.
Some of the causes are related to the urinary system and others are not.
Chronic diseases like MS that damage nerves can also lead to bladder problems.
There are also treatments for many conditions that can cause it that you might discuss with your provider.
They can figure out what is causing nocturia and check that you get the right treatment.
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