You drift off to sleep early, delightful dreams float around your head, it’s going to be a beautifully restful night. But wait. Something feels a little uncomfortable, something’s not quite right. You try and shake it off, but its hit and there’s no going back. You look at the clock next to your bed; 3AM. Now you’re really wide awake. Why? Because you overhydrated, too many swigs of water before bed. Now the loo is calling. Out from under your duvet you go. It’s happened. You’ve fallen victim to sleep’s nemesis, its ancient foe – nocturia… How do you solve it, especially when you need to get your daily dose of CBD? A CBD shot of course?
Nocturia is a condition in which one experiences frequent trips to the bathroom during the night, which can cause insomnia, sleep deficit and prevents a good night’s sleep for many sufferers. Though hydration might be incredibly important and water may have numerous benefits, but there’s a downside to everything. However, there is always hope. To counter this enemy, we must dive into its causes, the ideal times to hydrate and amount of water to drink. Some say “sleep when you’re dead.” To that, at MightyMe, we say “no thank you!” A great way to start that journey is by keeping your pre-bed hydration routine simple. How? With a CBD shot of water, of course.
What is Nocturia?
Well, as you might have picked up, nocturia refers to the condition where individuals wake up multiple times during the night to urinate, a trend that significantly disrupts sleep patterns and can cause sleep deficit and even insomnia. As you’ll imagine, it can become rather bothersome and leaves people feeling fatigued and restless throughout the day. However, the condition isn’t just drinking too much before going to sleep. There are several factors and nocturia causes, including:
- Excessive Fluid Intake and Hydration: One cause, the most common, is consuming large quantities of fluids, especially close to bedtime, can increase urine production and contribute to nocturia.
- Aging: It’s a great shame, but as we age, the bladder’s capacity to hold urine decreases. That means more frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.
- Medications: Certain medications, such as diuretics which are used for heart conditions, can increase urine production and cause the condition to show its ugly face.
- Underlying Medical Conditions: Conditions such as urinary tract infections, bladder or prostate issues, diabetes, and sleep apnoea can also be nocturia causes.
How to Cope with Nocturia?
It’s understandable. You’re pretty bored of nocturia, everyone who suffers from it is. But there’s no need to fret, the days of sleepful nights are not past you. While you should definitely consult your doctor to address its underlying causes, MightyMe has some tips that might just help you manage and minimise its impact:
- Limit Fluid Intake Before Bed: It should be rather clear – the time to hydrate is not before you jump into bed. It’s best to reduce your fluid intake, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime. However, while it’s always most beneficial to hydrate – even with CBD water – slowly throughout the day, for those who have nocturia, they should be sure to stay adequately hydrated throughout the day.
- Avoid Diuretic Beverages: Didn’t you know? Diuretic beverages, like caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, aren’t enormously healthy in abundance or too often. Especially when it comes to falling and staying asleep. However, there’s something else. They can also increase urine production, which certainly isn’t ideal.
- Practice Double Voiding: A little technique that works for some people is called double voiding. It means before going to bed, you should empty your bladder twice to ensure it’s as empty as possible.
- Optimise Your Sleeping Environment: It might seem simple, but creating a comfortable sleep environment, including minimising noise and using nightlights, will help you fall asleep more quickly. Though it doesn’t stop you needing the loo during the night, it might help you get back to sleep a little quicker.
What are the Best Sleeping Positions?
It may surprise you, but there are a few other ways to prevent alleviate the impact of nocturia. They can be as simple as a sleeping position, so here are a few that could help.
- Elevated Legs: Lying flat can put pressure on your bladder. If you can elevate your legs slightly with a pillow, that can help reduce that pressure.
- Side Sleeping: Sleeping on your side can help prevent urine from putting pressure on your bladder, which is a great way to reduce the need to urinate.
- Back Sleeping: Perhaps you’ve experiencing nocturia due to issues such as sleep apnoea. If that’s the case, sleeping on your back with an elevated pillow can help keep airways open, which reduces disturbances and helps you have a long night of sleep.
What is the Role of Hydration?
Sure, hydration’s role in nocturia may seem a little counterintuitive. But it’s not that simple, because consistent hydration is the simplest and easiest answer. If you keep drinking from your water bottle, or CBD water bottle, throughout the day, then you’re following an essential rule for managing nocturia.
Staying hydrated throughout helps maintain overall urinary health and does an enormous job in helping regulate your body’s fluid balance. Not only is staying hydrated from when you get up to when you go asleep incredibly healthy, it’s a fantastic way to avoid nocturia.
When are the Ideal Times to Drink Water?
- Morning: How do you like your water in the morning? The best way to start your day is by hydrating. A glass of water from your Brita filter or swig from your water bottle in the morning helps kickstart your metabolism, aids digestion, and prepares your body for the day ahead.
- Between Meals: It’s always a good idea to sip water between meals to ensure consistent hydration throughout the day. As a warning, it’s actually best to avoid drinking large amounts during meals, as it can interfere with digestion.
- Before Physical Activity: You know the drill. Before you head on a workout or to the gym, hydrate before engaging in any physical activity to maintain fluid balance and optimise your performance. Yes, with CBD water too!
- Throughout the Day: Hey you, yes YOU. DRINK during the day! It’s a great habit to drink water consistently throughout the day, ensuring you meet your body’s hydration needs and then eventually, not wake up during the night for a wee. If you’re habit stacking, why not add MightyMe to your water too.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
Another great question, but the amount of water you should drink depends on a wide variety of factors. That could be your age, weight and activity level but in general, here are some guidelines to follow:
- Adults: On average, adults should aim to hydrate with around 8 cups (4 pints) of water per day. Give or take, that’s about 2 litres, and while that might seem like a lot, many individual needs may vary based on factors such as body weight, climate, and physical activity.
- Children and Teens: The recommended water intake for children and teens varies based on age and weight, naturally. However, you should try encourage your children to hydrate and drink at least 5 cups of water a day, which is close to 3 pints.
- Elderly Individuals: Aging adults may have reduced thirst sensation, but even if they are not reminded with a dry throat, it makes it even more crucial to consciously hydrate. Elderly adults should therefore aim to hydrate with between 6-8 cups (3-4 pints) of water daily.
Nocturia is no small thing. It’s horrible to sleep terribly and it can have drastic effects on mental health and wellbeing. However, there’s a way to stop it. By understanding its causes and adopting healthy habits, such as managing fluid intake and practicing good hydration, you can minimize the impact of nocturia on your life.
However, when we take MightyMe before bed, we don’t down a whole water bottle or Brita filter. All it takes is a cheeky CBD shot. It’s the ideal way to get your CBD dose and hydrate just enough. Don’t believe us? Give it a go…
