Waking up in the middle of the night to use the toilet is something many people experience – but if you’re making several trips every night, it could be a sign of something more serious
Those who frequently wake up at night to use the bathroom are being advised to reduce their intake of a certain type of food. While it’s generally not alarming to wake up for a bathroom visit in the early morning—especially if you’ve had drinks before sleeping—making these trips regularly can be a cause for concern.
Not only can it disrupt your sleep cycle, but it could also hint at an underlying health issue. The medical term for habitual nighttime toilet trips is ‘nocturia’. The NHS defines nocturia as the need to “frequently wake up in the night and need to pee (pass urine).”
According to the health service: “It often increases with age. It is common with elderly people who may be getting up twice a night. More frequent visits to the toilet may indicate a problem that can be treated.”
What triggers nocturia?
Nocturia can have several causes, including hormonal changes, reports Surrey Live. The antidiuretic hormone (ADH) plays a crucial role in regulating your body’s water levels. A drop in ADH levels can result in increased urine production at night.
Regular nighttime urination might also suggest an overactive bladder or a bladder infection. An overactive bladder is marked by a sudden urge to urinate, which can sometimes lead to leakage before reaching the toilet. Bladder infections typically occur when bacteria invade the bladder.
An enlarged prostate in men can put pressure on the urethra, making it challenging for the bladder to fully empty. For women, organ or pelvic prolapse could be the underlying issue.
Other medical reasons for frequent nighttime bathroom visits include heart conditions and diabetes. If you have a heart problem, your heart and blood circulation might not function optimally, leading to ankle swelling.
When you lie down or raise your feet, fluid is pulled into your bloodstream and filtered by your kidneys. Consequently, you may find yourself needing to urinate more during the night. It’s crucial to consult with your doctor if you’re experiencing any of these conditions.
If you’re diabetic, high blood sugar levels can make you feel thirstier, causing you to drink more than usual. This could lead to more frequent bathroom visits. High blood sugar can also irritate the bladder, resulting in increased urination.
Health expert Dr Eric Berg DC suggests that reducing certain foods, such as snacks and carbs, could help if high blood sugar levels are causing your frequent bathroom trips. In a YouTube video to his 13 million followers, the healthy ketosis and intermittent fasting specialist explained that nocturia is often associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and sleep apnoea.
What is insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance is a condition where cells fail to respond effectively to insulin. This issue is often linked with being overweight, particularly around the belly, lack of physical activity, and a diet high in processed foods and carbohydrates. However, other factors such as genetics, age, certain medications, and various health conditions can also contribute to its onset.
One potential consequence of insulin resistance is increased urination at night, known as nocturia. This happens because high blood sugar levels, typical in insulin resistance, force the kidneys to work harder to filter out the excess glucose. Consequently, this can lead to an increase in urine production, even during nighttime hours.
Dr Berg points out that the abovementioned medical issues usually stem from insulin resistance. This is when your body’s cells don’t respond effectively to the insulin produced.
As a result, blood sugar levels increase, causing your body to get rid of the surplus sugar through frequent urination. To prevent nocturia under these circumstances, it’s crucial to manage your insulin resistance and reduce your blood sugar levels, especially if a doctor has identified these as the cause of your frequent urination.
How can you improve insulin resistance?
Dr Berg says reducing carbohydrate intake and snacking less can significantly help improve insulin resistance. He also suggests drinking apple cider vinegar before meals and exercising thrice weekly.
“Stop snacking at night and stop snacking in general,” he advised. “In fact, do intermittent fasting. Basically, you’re just cutting down the number of meals, not the calories, just the frequency of eating. It’s going to greatly help insulin resistance.
“Start cutting down your carbs to less than 30 grams per day. Those two actions are the most powerful thing you can do, and you’re going to see amazing changes… Now, a couple of other things you can do to speed things up: take some apple cider vinegar with some water right before your meals, just a tablespoon.”
He highlighted the virtues of apple cider vinegar, noting: “It is a really good blood sugar-regulating natural remedy.” Dr Berg also recommended: “The other thing you could do is exercise on a regular basis. That is another potent way to improve insulin resistance and if you have any questions on what to eat.”
Towards the video’s conclusion, the health guru asserted that these dietary and lifestyle modifications have been successful for many. “I did two other videos on this topic and the comments from people who tried it and it worked are overwhelming,” he claimed. “I mean you’re going to be blown away by how many people just made some slight changes in their diet and got rid of this problem within days.”
How does cutting out carbs improve insulin resistance?
Reducing carbohydrate intake, especially refined carbs and added sugars, can be beneficial in managing insulin resistance. This strategy can lead to more consistent blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity.
By consuming fewer carbohydrates, your body has less glucose to process, resulting in more stable and lower blood sugar levels. A diet low in carbs lessens the pressure on your pancreas to produce insulin, which can boost the body’s insulin sensitivity.
Moreover, decreasing carbohydrate consumption can support weight loss, a crucial element in improving insulin resistance. As carbohydrate intake drops, the body may start to burn more fat for energy, further aiding weight management and insulin resistance.
What should you concentrate on?
- Focus on whole foods. Opt for nutrient-dense options such as vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
- Reduce intake of processed foods, sugary beverages, and refined grains. These items can lead to quick increases in blood sugar levels and can exacerbate insulin resistance.
- Think about incorporating low-glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates. These carbs are absorbed more slowly, resulting in a steadier increase in blood sugar levels.
What factors should you think about?
Before making significant changes to your diet, particularly if you have insulin resistance or other health conditions, it’s crucial to seek advice from your doctor or a registered dietitian. A balanced diet that includes adequate protein, healthy fats, and fibre is essential for effectively managing insulin resistance.
While reducing carbohydrates can be beneficial, it’s important to keep some carbs in your diet, especially those from whole, unprocessed foods. Along with dietary changes, regular physical activity and stress management are also vital in improving insulin sensitivity.
The NHS further advises: “Some medicines make your body produce more urine, or increase its flow. In many cases this is how the medicine works to treat the condition (for example, water tablets for high blood pressure). Ask your GP if you are not sure if your medicines could be causing nocturia. Please do not stop taking your regular medicines without the advice of your doctor.”
