Bathroom visits can easily compromise sleep. “While urinary incontinence does affect women more often than men, millions of both men and women deal with some type of bladder control issue at some point in their lives and many suffer from symptoms that significantly impact their quality of sleep,” says urologic surgeon, Dr Adam Ramin. “And the truth is, if you suffer from urinary incontinence, it doesn’t have to be a condition that puts you in adult diapers for the rest of your life or prevent you from ever having a good night’s sleep again.”
Dr Ramin says diet and lifestyle changes can help with bladder control, including reducing your intake of caffeine. “Caffeine stimulates bladder function and is also considered a diuretic,” Dr Ramin continues. “Though it can be much easier said than done, limiting or eliminating caffeine altogether has been known to be successful in diminishing and resolving issues of urinary incontinence.” Needing to go to the bathroom frequently may also be keeping you up at night. Try decreasing your fluid intake a few hours before bedtime. If that’s not enough, see your doctor about getting evaluated for underlying problems like infections. It’s just one of the sleep habits that are trying to tell you something.