In this article, I will introduce the health and medical knowledge that I want to know now in a Q & A format. Please use it for self-care from today!
[Problem] "Nocturia" that makes you want to go to the bathroom and wake up at night when you are sleeping. One of the main causes is a condition called "nighttime polyuria", but which of the following is incorrect as an explanation for nighttime polyuria?
(1) If you wake up in the bathroom more than once at night, you will have polyuria at night.
(2) The proportion of daily urine volume that comes out at night increases
(3) Exercise to improve swelling of the legs is important for improving nighttime polyuria
Answers and explanations
The correct answer (wrong description) is (1) nighttime polyuria when you wake up in the bathroom more than once at night.
Nocturia is a condition that must occur at least once due to the toilet at night. According to the Japanese Urological Society, about 45 million people over the age of 40 have nocturia, and the frequency increases with age.
Causes of nocturia include benign prostatic hyperplasia, urinary urgency due to overactive bladder [Note 1], and sleep disorders (feeling urinary when sleep becomes light), but other major causes are nocturia. There is something called urine. According to Satoru Takahashi, chief professor of urology at Nihon University School of Medicine, it is said that three-quarters of people who have nocturia in the toilet more than once at night have nocturia.
Unlike nocturia, many people are unfamiliar with the term nocturia. Mr. Takahashi explains the difference between the two. "Nocturia is a symptom of wanting to go to the bathroom when sleeping at night. One of the causes is nighttime polyuria. Nighttime polyuria is one of the daily urine volumes. Nocturia is a condition in which the proportion of urine produced while sleeping at night is increasing, and more specifically, 33% or more of the total daily urine volume is produced during bedtime. " .. Rather than increasing the total amount of urine in a day, the amount of urine that comes out in the daytime comes out at night.
[Note 1] Overactive bladder: A disease in which the bladder contracts excessively even though urine is not sufficiently accumulated. Symptoms such as urgency, frequent urination, and urinary incontinence (leaks in time for the toilet) appear.
What is the point to determine if you have polyuria at night? How can I improve it?
Why does nocturnal polyuria occur? "One of the reasons why the proportion of urine produced at night increases is that kidney function declines with age and the amount of urine excreted during the day decreases. Also, as we get older, water accumulates in the lower body. Your legs start to swell in the evening. When you lie down at night, your body tries to get rid of that accumulated water. "
The point of determining whether or not polyuria is nighttime is "whether it is frequent urination day or night or only at night". “If you have a lot of toilets day and night, you have benign prostatic hyperplasia or overactive bladder. Frequent urination only at night is nighttime hyperplasia,” explains Takahashi. However, "Night polyuria is often accompanied by benign prostatic hyperplasia and overactive bladder. If there are multiple causes, it is important to deal with them one by one."
The key to improving nighttime polyuria is to incorporate lifestyle habits such as lower body exercise, reduced salt, early dinner, and bathing before going to bed. "To get rid of swelling in the lower body, exercise to move the lower body such as walking. Especially, exercise using the calf muscles is recommended. Bathing before going to bed is also effective. Water pressure is applied to the lower body and blood flow is improved. So it's easier to get urine before going to bed. " If you eat something just before going to bed, it will be easier to wake up in the bathroom at night, so eat dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed. Also, if you drink too much water, you will naturally have polyuria. "A good daily urine volume is body weight (kg) x 20-30 mL. If you're having trouble with nocturia, don't drink too much water."
Be careful not to take too much salt. "It has been reported that people who take more salt have more polyuria at night. Taking salt increases blood pressure and urine volume because the kidneys must increase blood flow to excrete sodium. On the other hand, if you keep salt low, your kidney blood flow will decrease, your blood pressure will decrease, and your urine volume will decrease. " Salt reduction and exercise are also meaningful habits to prevent lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. If you have polyuria at night, why not take a proactive approach?
