Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter #167 - Frequent Nighttime Urination: All Through The Night
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Sep 1, 2025 Frequent nighttime urination can leave many wondering if their bladder or sleep is the real issue. The podcast delves into nocturia, examining what is normal versus abnormal. It explores how waking for bathroom trips can signal underlying conditions like obstructive sleep apnea. Common myths like cutting off fluids to solve the problem are challenged, providing a fresh perspective. Listeners are reassured that waking up once a night may not be a health concern at all, shedding light on this common yet misunderstood topic.
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Awakening Precedes The Urge
- Most people wake up first and then feel the urge to urinate rather than the bladder waking them.
- Sleep fragmentation (like apnea) triggers sympathetic arousal that produces that urge.
Sleep Apnea Drives Nighttime Urination
- Sleep apnea causes sympathetic arousals that wake people and increase urine production via hormonal pathways.
- Atrial natriuretic peptide and arousal explain why apnea patients often have nocturia.
Race-Day Urgency Example
- Chris Winter shares personal race and triathlon memories to illustrate sympathetic arousal causing urgency.
- He compares fear/excitement arousal to the bladder urgency triggered by sleep fragmentation.