How many times per night are you waking to pee?
Though often overlooked, sleep is one of the most vital things to our health. It’s when your body “takes out the trash”, when emotions are processed, when new memories are stored in your brain, and many other things. The bladder can be quite disruptive to quality sleep, though.
What is considered ‘normal’ for breaking the sleep cycle to urinate? Up to once per night is considered ‘normal’, though even less is best.
When you are in REM sleep, anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) is secreted. This hormone causes the kidneys to secrete less water, and decreases the amount of urine produced. So, if you are waking multiple times per night to urinate, you might not be getting into REM sleep. The good news is, there are simple things to either add to or eliminate from your bed time routine, that have potential to effect your quality of sleep, thus decreasing your trips to the bathroom during the night by increasing ADH.
A few things to start with to improve your sleep hygiene:
Have a consistent sleep schedule— go to bed at roughly the same time each night.
Have a regular bed time routine— meditate, yoga, or take a warm bath right before bed. Doing these activities regularly to wind down will cue your body that it is time for sleep.
Exercise, but avoid doing so 2 hours before bed.
Limit caffeine after 12.
Avoid alcohol— it is a sedative, and will initially promote sleep, but interferes with the quality of sleep. Plus it is a bladder irritant.
Keep your naps short.
Stop screen time 1-2 hours before bed.
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, cool, and comfortable.
We all know that when you sleep better, you feel better!
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