Having trouble sleeping?Why Do Men Pee So Much at Night?

Getting out of bed in the middle of the night to go to the toilet is frustrating. You may go to bed tired, but wake up two, three or more times to urinate.

“It’s normal,” many men think as they age. Some people assume it is because of drinking too much water before sleeping. But frequent urination at night can sometimes signal an underlying health problem.

If you find yourself waking up in the night to urinate it is worth understanding why.

Why do men go to the loo so much at night?

Nocturia is the medical term for passing urine frequently at night.

There are a number of reasons for this.

1. Enlarged Prostate

An enlarged prostate is a common reason men have to get up to urinate frequently at night.

The prostate is a small gland situated under the bladder. It wraps around the tube that carries urine out of the body.

And as men get older, their prostate can get bigger. This can press on the tube that carries urine and make it hard for urine to pass.

You might observe:

• Getting up a few times a night to pee.
• Problems initiating urination.
• A weak stream of urine.
• A feeling that you can’t empty your bladder completely.
• Dribbling after you have urinated.

2. Diabetics

Frequent urination can be another symptom of diabetes.

When the blood sugar is high, the body tries to remove the unnecessary sugar in the urine. This may cause you to urinate more often, including at night.

Other signs include:

• You are constantly thirsty.
• Tiredness even with rest.
• More hungry.
• Unexplained weight loss.

If you see these symptoms it is important to get your blood sugar levels checked.

3. Drinking too much water at night

If you drink a lot of water before you go to sleep, you may wake up to pass urine.

Tea, coffee and other drinks can also increase the need to pass urine. Caffeine, in particular, can make you urinate more often.

Try to avoid drinking too much before bedtime. However, do not reduce your overall water intake too much.

4. Bladder Problems

Sometimes, the bladder may not hold urine as well as it should.

An overactive bladder can cause a sudden and strong urge to urinate, even when the bladder is not full.

You may feel the need to rush to the toilet several times during the day and night.

5. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

A urinary tract infection can also cause frequent urination.

Men with a UTI may experience:

• A burning feeling while passing urine.
• Frequent urge to urinate.
• Pain in the lower abdomen.
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine.
• Fever or chills in some cases.
• These symptoms should not be ignored.

6. Sleep Problems

Sometimes, the problem may not start with the bladder.

Conditions such as sleep apnoea can disturb your sleep. When you wake up, you may notice the urge to urinate and visit the toilet.

If you snore loudly, wake up gasping for air or feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, speak to a doctor.

When Should You See a Doctor?

Waking up once occasionally to urinate may not be a concern. But if it happens regularly and affects your sleep, it is worth getting checked.

Speak to a doctor if you:

• Wake up two or more times every night to urinate.
• Have difficulty passing urine.
• Notice a weak urine flow.
• Feel that your bladder is never fully empty.
• Experience pain or burning while urinating.
• Notice blood in your urine.

If you are unable to pass urine all seek immediate medical attention.

What Can You Do to Reduce Urinating at Night?

A few simple changes may help:

• Avoid drinking amounts of water just before bedtime.
• Reduce tea and coffee intake in the evening.
• Avoid alcohol before sleeping.
• Do not hold your urine for periods.
• Maintain blood sugar levels.
• Get health check‑ups.

However these changes may not solve the problem if it is caused by a prostate, diabetes or another medical condition.

How Is Frequent Night‑Time Urination Treated?

The treatment depends on what’s causing the problem.

A doctor may ask about your symptoms and medical history.

You may also need urine tests, blood sugar tests or a prostate evaluation.

If an enlarged prostate is causing the problem, medicines or other treatments may help.

The earlier the cause is identified the sooner you can start the treatment.

Don’t Ignore What Your Body Is Telling You

Losing sleep because you keep waking up to urinate is not something you should simply accept as part of ageing.

It could be related to your prostate, bladder, blood sugar levels. Sleep health.

If you are regularly waking up at night to use the toilet speak to a doctor. Find out what is causing it.

At MGM Cancer Institute we believe that understanding changes, in your body is a part of taking care of your health.

Do not ignore symptoms that keep coming.

Doctor details:
Dr. Sivakumar Mahalingam
Senior Consultant
Surgical Oncology