Urologist explains what to do to avoid going to the bathroom at night
Edward Ted Schaeffer, a leading urologist from Northwestern University, recently shared advice on how to avoid having to get up at night to take a whiz.
People often wake up during the night to go to the bathroom to satisfy their physiological needs. This is a phenomenon that affects millions of individuals around the world and that, unfortunately, has significant implications for sleep quality and general well-being.
And the human body is programmed to eliminate waste and excess fluids, something that does not stop during sleep. Causes can vary from fluid intake before bed to underlying medical factors such as overactive bladder, aging, and underlying diseases.
Cause for concern in some homes
Faced with this problem that is a serious concern in some homes, urologist Edward Ted Schaeffer, from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois has shared in the Peter Attia Drive Podcast three keys to try to avoid visiting the bathroom before dawn.
First of all, this expert recommends not drinking a glass of water right before going to bed, something that seems logical. If you have to get up to urinate, Ted Schaeffer advises not to drink liquids on the way back to bed.
“Don't drink a glass of water right before going to bed.”
In fact, excess fluid is one of the most common reasons for nighttime awakenings as people age. This is because, with age, the ability to control the bladder decreases. It also occurs with the deeper phases of sleep.
“Don’t drink a glass of water right before going to bed. If you get up in the middle of the night because you have to urinate, do not drink another glass of water,” he strongly warned in the radio program.
Other recommendations
Secondly, this specialist suggests that if there is any sign of fluid retention in the legs, compression stockings up to the knees should be worn when sleeping. In this way, blood flow from the legs to the heart is promoted and there will be less fluid accumulation and swelling.
Finally, Ted Schaeffer advises that if you don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night, the best solution is to avoid drinking alcohol before going to bed. Not only because of what was mentioned above in the first tip, but because alcohol suppresses the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which regulates, among other things, the amount of urine produced.