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Sep 10, 2023 · Resist the urge to urinate for five minutes. Whenever the urge to pee strikes, try to hold it for longer than you normally would. Build up longer intervals over a 12-week period.
Mar 3, 2022 · Urges typically build to a peak and then gradually diminish. Responding immediately to an urge by rushing to the bathroom only serves to increase your sense of urgency, and it may invite an accident. Instead, stop and take a deep breath. Manage urges — When you have an urge, relax and try to think of something other than going to the bathroom ...
You can re-establish control over those urges by retraining your bladder. The average man’s bladder can hold 350 ml to 550 ml of urine. Generally, a man feels like he needs to urinate when there is about 200 ml of urine in his bladder.But with urge incontinence, bladder muscles contract inappropriately causing a sudden and urgent need to urinate.
Sit down and take five slow, deep breaths. Think about the air moving in and out of your lungs instead of how your bladder feels. • Squeeze your pelvic muscles. So when urgency comes on, sit and do a couple of gentle pelvic muscle squeezes, just 3 to 5 squeezes. This will calm your bladder and the urgency will go away.
- Overview
- Best sleeping positions for an overactive bladder
- What to look for in a mattress if you have an overactive bladder?
- Can you prevent having to pee at night?
- Treating overactive bladder
- When to see a doctor
- Takeaway
Overactive bladder (OAB) refers to a group of urinary symptoms, the most prominent of which is a sudden, urgent need to urinate.
Research has estimated that its prevalence in the United States is between 16.5 and 35.6 percent.
OAB happens when your bladder muscles involuntarily contract when your bladder isn’t full. While the exact cause is unknown, this may happen due to improper signaling between your brain and bladder. It may also be caused by bladder muscles that are too active.
Living with OAB can greatly impact your quality of life since it may be hard to do daily activities without frequent trips to the bathroom. Because OAB can come on suddenly, you may also feel anxious if you’re not close to a bathroom.
Sleep can also be affected. It’s estimated that 85.6 percent of people with OAB have nocturia, which is when you wake up multiple times at night to urinate. Poor sleep can have negative consequences on both your physical and mental health.
If you have OAB, you may be wondering if certain sleep positions may help reduce your need to urinate at night. Keep reading as we explore this topic and other ways to promote a good night’s sleep with OAB.
There’s not currently much specific research into what’s the best sleeping position for OAB. A general rule of thumb is to select one that’s both comfortable to you, leads to restful sleep, and doesn’t contribute to pain upon waking.
There are a few points about OAB, sleep, and body position that are important to know. Let’s examine these now.
Similar to sleeping positions, there’s not really any research into what type of mattress is optimal for OAB. When looking for a mattress, it’s important to find one that maximizes comfort while providing support for your body.
Research from 2015 suggests that a medium-firm mattress is best for sleep quality, comfort, and spinal support. However, you’ll need to take your specific needs into account as well, such as:
•the position that you sleep in
•your body type
•whether you share your bed with a partner
•if you have preexisting neck or back pain
There are several things that you can do to help prevent having to pee at night due to OAB. These include:
•Reduce fluids in the evening. While it’s important to stay hydrated during the day, limit your intake of fluids, especially ones that contain alcohol and caffeine, in the 2 to 4 hours before you go to bed.
•Double void before bed. Some people with OAB have trouble fully emptying their bladder. Double voiding, or emptying your bladder twice, can help. Before going to bed, empty your bladder once, wait several minutes, and then try again.
•Avoid triggers. Some foods and drinks can irritate the bladder and may increase your need to urinate. Some that you may want to avoid, especially later in the day, are:
•alcohol
•coffee
If you have OAB, there are various treatments that can help. These include both medical treatments and things you can do at home.
Sticking to your OAB treatment plan can help prevent frequent trips to the bathroom, both during the day and at night. Let’s take a look at some of the treatment options for OAB now.
Sleep is important for both your physical and mental health. Poor sleep can impact your alertness and memory, increase your stress levels, and raise your risk of health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Make an appointment with a doctor if you find that your OAB symptoms cause you to frequently get up to use the bathroom at night. They can recommend methods to help reduce your urinary frequency.
Many people with OAB experience nocturia, which is frequent urination at night. There’s no single sleeping position that’s optimal for OAB. Generally speaking, it’s best to choose one that’s most comfortable for you while promoting good sleep.
Side sleeping may be the best option if you have both OAB and sleep apnea. Elevating your legs throughout the day may also help to reduce the need to urinate at night for some people.
Other ways to reduce nocturia with OAB include limiting fluids in the evening and double voiding before bed. Treatments like bladder training, pelvic floor exercises, and medications can help to improve your overall OAB symptoms.
Talk with a doctor if you have OAB that interferes with your sleep or if your methods of limiting nocturia stop being effective. They can help recommend other ways that may help to help reduce urination frequency at night.
Sep 18, 2024 · A hallmark sign of an overactive bladder is the sudden need to urinate right away. Other symptoms may include: Bladder spasms. Involuntary peeing. Need to go the bathroom more often or at night ...
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May 25, 2022 · 1. Drink water wisely. If you drink a lot during the day, cutting back can significantly reduce urination frequency. Many people guzzle the oft-recommended eight glasses of water a day, but there’s no science behind that number, says Karyn Eilber, a board-certified urologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
