OK folks, today's blog is not a pretty one but I feel it is very important issue to at least touch on since I know it affects a ton of people and is a subject that.....well.....just doesn't come up that frequently at dinner parties.
Have you heard of the medical term “nocturia?”
It’s used by the medical community to describe the condition of having to get up frequently in the middle of the night to urinate.
Nocturia is a surprisingly common problem.
If you find yourself with this condition, rest assured there are many, many others dealing with the problem I lovingly refer to as the "Nighttime Tango."
Why am I bringing up this subject today?
Well, I don't know what has caused it but the past couple of nights I have found myself doing the "Nighttime Tango" back and forth to the bathroom.
It has been warmer recently here in the Phoenix area and I think I have been drinking more water than usual.
I have also been going to the gym now so you can add an additional bottle of water that I consume at the gym (usually around 4 PM) and an additional protein drink following my workouts.
Last night, after rolling into bed and spending about 30 minutes digging through my Google+ mail it's soon lights out.
Then less than an hour later I have to get up to "tinkle".
That sucks because I fell asleep so fast and was sleeping soundly.
But it doesn't stop there.
I'm up 4 another times to relieve myself during the night.
This really sucks and now I know I am losing critical REM sleep.
This doesn't make me happy because I like to start every day off like a ball of fire. 
To keep a long story short as they say, what I am talking about is my bout with "nocturia".
So I thought, let's figure out why this happens because it doesn't happen all of the time and is more of a nuisance rather than a problem for me.
This may not be the case for you though.
Although nocturia doesn’t seem as if it would be particularly harmful to your health, often those who suffer from the condition get poor quality sleep as a result.
And sleepless nights can lead to problems with fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, feelings of depression, and even contribute to heart disease.
Most people without nocturia can sleep for 6 to 8 hours without having to urinate.
Some researchers believe that one event per night is within normal limits; two or more events per night may be associated with daytime tiredness.
Patients with severe nocturia may get up five or six times during the night to go to the bathroom.
Given the potential for nocturia to cause some more significant health complaints, it would be wise to try to remedy the situation.
Don’t just try to keep those nighttime bathroom trips out of sight and out of mind during the day.
Wondering what you can do to help?
Maybe all you need to do is make a few simple lifestyle changes.
Let me start with my favorite caveat here……Once again, I am not a doctor nor have I ever played one on television.
All I am doing is bringing to one place (our favorite blog Survive55.com) research I have done with possible recommendations, suggestions, proposals, guidance and testimonials from these industry experts.
This is a high level, 30,000 feet view of the phenomena.
If you have strong concerns about your condition and/or are looking for an in depth examination of what is happening to your health, contact your doctor.
Again, don't mess with your health…..do it today !!!
So what could cause an episode of nocturia?
There are many triggers that affect the frequency of its occurrence.
It can often exacerbated by certain drugs including diuretics, blood pressure and heart medications.
It is possible that a urinary tract infection exists as well as potential kidney problems, cystitis or diabetes.
High blood calcium level and obstructive sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders can trigger the issue.
In men, it is often a symptom of enlarged prostate (BPH Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) which may be due to high estradiol and low testosterone, low thyroid contributes and possible a fungal infection in the prostate gland.
BPH is very common and totally not a big deal.
This is a health issue I have had for several years.
Like I tell all of my friends "I have kidneys the size of peas and a prostate the size of a basketball."
That's an interesting visual isn't it?
Hey, there is no humility in getting older…..get used to it.
We often think of BPH as a disease of older men, but it can certainly start in younger men.
As the prostate grows larger, urinary symptoms like what I have described above slowly begin to show up.
There is a simple blood test to rule out cancer (prostate-specific antigen, or PSA), and it's treatable with medication.
Flomax is a common one.
If you tell your doctor the symptoms are interfering with your quality of life because you can't get a full night's sleep, he or she should take you seriously.
In women, nocturia can be triggered by low hormones, progesterone and estradiol primarily but also contributed to by low growth hormone.
But here's the good news..............Most times, nocturia is provoked by something as common as drinking too much fluid before bedtime, particularly coffee, caffeinated beverages, or alcohol.
In my situation last night I discovered that yes.........too many liquids too close to bedtime is a culprit.
So here's the quick list of recommendations to combat this nuisance.
They are in no particular order of importance and you will find that some may work for you while others don't.
As for me, I'm going to experiment this week to see if there is an intake limit to the amount of liquids I can drink before bed that won't affect me unfavorably.
What a tough experiment huh?
Hey, somebody has to do it and I can't think of a better person than me to take one for the team.
Anyway, back to the recommendations:
Things Fall Apart - It's Scientific
First, don’t drink a lot of water or liquids an hour before you go to bed. That's simple. Finish drinking by 6:00 p.m. to decrease the chance of night time urination.
Second, if you are drinking liquids later in the evening cut out the caffeine and alcohol.
Several experts recommend training yourself to breathe through your nose when sleeping.
Many times changing your diet has a positive effect on your health. Experts recommend not only eliminating alcohol and caffeine from your evenings but try to limit tomato based foods, highly spiced foods and citrus fruits and juices from your late night meals.
Many doctors advocate adding 1/2 cup a day of pure cranberry juice to your diet to coat the bladder wall and prevent both infection and irritation.
Work on retraining your bladder by increasing your bladder’s capacity. During the day resist the urge to go to urinate. Gradually increase the time interval between bathroom breaks as you regain bladder control. At night, do the same. You may lose some sleep initially, but the benefits will come quicker. If you are really serious about correcting this issue then keep a diary of times you are going and amounts of urine expelled.
Tell your bladder who's in charge. If you ever noticed how strong the urge to urinate becomes when you walk into the bathroom you have discovered the key to mastering your bladder. You have been letting your bladder call the shots now it's time to take back control. Walk into the bathroom, stay fully dressed and take 10 deep, slow breaths while saying silently "I am in charge of my bladder." After the 10 breaths are complete, calmly allow yourself to urinate.
Lift your pelvic floor. While urinating contract the muscles surrounding the lower bladder and urethra to start and stop the flow of urine. This teaches you the muscles that need to be strengthened in both men and women. Then you can have some real fun. While driving, standing in line at the grocery store, talking on the phone or falling asleep at night practice tightening your entire pelvic floor and lifting it higher and higher. Hold this lift for 10 seconds and then very slowly relax the muscles. Repeat as often as possible. Known as "Kegal" exercises, you can do these surreptitiously without anyone knowing.
Make sure to completely empty your bladder before going to bed.
There are also some homeopathic suggestions like taking 30 milligrams of zinc (picolinate or citrate) three times daily to start, tapering down slowly as symptoms recede, along with 2 milligrams of copper.
Some doctors recommend taking one tablespoon of organically grown, carefully processed,“high-lignan” flax oil twice daily, along with 400 IU of vitamin E.
Taking Zinc and essential fatty acids have also been suggested. If they don’t bring you some relief, add some saw palmetto to the mix. This herb has been shown time and again to be a powerful weapon in the fight against BPH. Look for a saw palmetto extract that’s 85 to 95 percent fatty acids and sterols, and try 160 milligrams twice daily.
So there you go. That wasn't as bad to talk about as I originally thought it would be.
Again, if you think you are having more serious issues than what we talked about here, then please go see your doctor.
I know how, when and how much you pee is not an easy subject to approach with your doctor but it is important.
I remember the first time I stumbled through the conversation with my doc, he finally stopped me and said "Soooo, I guess you're not peeling the bark off of trees anymore?"
He hit it right on the head.
Heck, I was having trouble spelling my name in the snow and my name is only 3 letters...............J A Y.
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The more Baby Boomers we can help the better place we make this world !!!
Thanks for joining me..........................................................