Are you struggling from urge or stress incontinence? You are not alone. An estimated 15 million adult women in the U.S suffer from this condition and it is one of the highest prevalence diseases in women when compared to men.
After a long day at work, people usually want to have a good night sleep. However, when you have an incontinence problem, you can experience warm wetness between your legs- something you haven’t felt since you were in childhood. You have wet your bed. For individuals who have overactive bladder, urinary incontinence is a common occurrence and perhaps the most annoying problem.
When you have an incontinence problem, it is highly recommended to talk to a medical professional because they can provide potential tips for managing nighttime incontinence.
How Do I Manage Nighttime Incontinence?
Wear Suitable Panties, Pad, And Other Absorbent Products- While women have grown up using pads, men can find it weird and quite distressing. However, these incontinence products can be highly useful. They prevent leaking into your clothes, control odor and put off skin-related inflammation.
Limit Your Fluid Intake Before Bedtime- Most food contains liquids however food containing increased levels of liquids aggravate urine output. Foods that contain higher amounts of liquids include
- Watermelon
- Strawberries
- Cantaloupe
- Oranges
- Cucumber
- lettuce
Protective Bedding- If you or you know someone experiencing nighttime incontinence, it is important that your mattress is protected. Washing your bedding is quite frustrating and time-consuming however at the same time protecting your bedding is equally important. To protect the mattress from adult bedwetting, you can shop for a waterproof mattress and use washable underpad. This will provide you a peaceful sleep when you are dealing with problems with urinary incontinence.1. 2
Avoid Caffeine Before Bedtime- Caffeine is consumed more than any other stimulant drug in the world. Many doctors and urologists recommend that limiting caffeine and alcohol levels can help improve incontinence.
Caffeine can increase bladder activity and result in worsened symptoms, that often include increased stress and frequency of urination, as well as higher incontinence. Excess caffeine increases the likelihood of urinary incontinence. Therefore, limiting or reducing the frequency of caffeine can decrease symptoms.
Spicy Foods Can Irritate Bladder- In addition to citrus fruits, caffeine, and drinks, spicy foods can irritate your bladder and worsen the signs of bladder infection. When the food is too spicy or hot to handle, your bladder and bowel have a hard time handling spicy foods. This, in turn, irritates the bladder lining and worsen UTI. Besides, you will experience burning sensation when urinating.
Chocolates– Like coffee and tea, a serving of chocolate also contains some caffeine, which is alcohol. They are both diuretic and bladder irritant causing inflammation in the bladder lining. However, dark chocolates don’t have caffeine, therefore, adjust your craving for chocolate and improve nighttime incontinence.
Exercise To Help With Bladder Control- Medical studies estimate that Kegel exercises are best suited for individuals who experience overactive bladder and urinary incontinence. Kegel exercises are potential solutions for preventing or controlling overactive bladders and other pelvic floor problems.
Repetition of this exercise can strengthen your bladder muscles and improve your bladder control. Perhaps, they tone your pelvic floor muscles and reduce the problem with leakage. Besides, it can improve a person’s ability to start and stop their urine stream.3. 4
Conclusion
If the overactive bladder is causing you the problem at night, you need not necessarily live with that. There are treatments that can help manage your nighttime incontinence. However, you need to talk to your urogynecologist who can suggest treatments such as behavioral, medication or surgery based on the underlying condition causing this problem. Also, muscle exercises and dietary changes can help manage your bladder.
- Managing Nighttime Incontinence https://www.attends.com/us/en/blog/managing-nighttime-incontinence.html
- Putting an Overactive Bladder to Bed https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/features/putting-an-overactive-bladder-to-bed#1
- Managing Nighttime Incontinence & Leaks https://www.poise.com/en-ca/advice-and-support/blog-and-podcast/blog/managing-nighttime-incontinence—leaks
- How to treat an overactive bladder at night https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316869.php
Also Read:
- Nighttime Incontinence or Nighttime Bed Wetting: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Alternative Treatment, Lifestyle Changes
- How To Diagnose Night-Time Incontinence & What Is The Best Medicine For It?
- Coping Methods For Night-Time Incontinence
- What Are The First Symptoms Of Night-Time Incontinence & How Do You Test For It?
- What Is The Best Treatment For Night-Time Incontinence?
- What Leads To Night-Time Incontinence & Can It Be Cured?
