'I'm a sleep expert - here is why you keep waking up in the night for the toilet'

Getting up to go to the toilet multiple times at night could signal a serious health issue (Image: Getty)

It’s quite common to wake up in the night and need to go to the toilet. However, an expert has warned that if it regularly happens multiple times a night, you might need to seek medical advice.

According to the NHS, it is normal to pass water up to eight times a day and once or twice a night. But doing this repeatedly is known as nocturia, and could be a sign of something serious.

For example, increased urination can be a sign you have diabetes, which can occur at any age. Other causes of an overactive bladder include:

• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Enlarged prostate in middle-aged and older men
• Swelling and infection of the urethra
• Vaginitis
• Nerve-related problems.

If you think your nocturia is linked to any of these issues, you should speak to your doctor.

Increased urination is one symptom of diabetes (Image: Getty)

As reported by Wales Online, over a third of people in the UK suffer from nocturia, meaning many will lose out on hundreds of hours of sleep each year.

However, the cause of nocturia is not always due to a health issue. With this in mind, Dr Kathrine Hall from Somnus Therapy writing for Happy Beds, revealed what could be causing your nocturia and how to prevent it.

Your sleeping position 

When it comes to sleeping positions, Dr Hall said resting on your side is the best way to sleep. There have been studies showing a link between improving sleep apnoea symptoms and improving overactive bladder symptoms, therefore reducing frequent trips to the toilet.

One of the best positions for those with sleep apnoea and nocturia is to sleep on your side with your back straight. This will help open the airways and lead to more regular breathing and it could reduce your trips to the toilet. 

This position also helps to keep your spine and neck aligned, essential for a good night's sleep and for reducing any neck pains you might get from front sleeping.

Standing

According to Dr Hall, if you are upright most of the day and then lie flat when you go to bed, the fluid that has built up in your legs does not have the chance to drain and flow to the kidneys. So, if you go straight to bed, you will likely need a trip to the bathroom due to that fluid.

But, keeping your legs elevated before you go to bed, perhaps with them up on a sofa arm, allows that fluid to drain more effectively before you go to sleep. So, in theory, you would spend more time going to the bathroom during the day than at night.

Drinking 

Unsurprisingly, drinking too much before bed can result in nocturia, but it's not to say you should be dehydrating yourself. If you can, avoid drinking lots of water around two hours before bed, you limit your chances of having to get up during the night.

If you need water at night, try to take small sips and during the day, drink plenty. You should also completely avoid alcohol as this is a diuretic, meaning it makes you urinate more than water.

Temperature

Most of us sleep in a bedroom which is too hot. Dr Hall said many studies have shown the temperature of your room is one of the most significant factors that can disrupt your sleep.

The wrong temperature in your room can lead to decreased REM (deep) sleep and more time spent waking up than resting. It's recommended that you sleep in a room with a temperature of around 20C. Anything hotter or colder can impact your body's internal temperature changes during sleep.