In This Episode:
Dr. K talks with geriatrician Shachi Tyagi, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburg. Her research focuses on two common issues in older adults, insomnia and having to urinate at night (nocturia). They discuss:
- Why nocturia becomes common as we age
- Common health problems that may be related to nocturia
- The relationship between nocturia and sleep problems
- How nocturia should be assessed and how it can be managed
- “Brief behavioral treatment” and other recommended insomnia treatments that can also improve nocturia
- Why sleep medications should be avoided in aging
- How to reduce the risk of nighttime falls related to nocturia
- Options for addressing nocturia and sleep issues in dementia
- Tips on tracking bladder and sleep symptoms, and how to get help from your health providers
Related episodes:
032 – 5 Top Causes of Sleep Problems in Aging
088 – Interview: Avoiding Inappropriate Prescribing in Aging & What to Know About the Beers Criteria
Related Resources:
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- Studies published by Dr. Tyagi
- American Urological Association: Urology Care Foundation
- National Sleep Foundation
- BHWA
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My dad is 93 year old he suffer with light form ofdementia and he will not sleep during the night. He keep getting up all the time to go to the bathroom up to 50 times a night and keep forgetting that he has already been. He can’t walk by himself so my brother has been looking after him for over a year now. He been taking sleeping pills really strong but not effecr on him. We don’t know what else to do. My brother he is getting ill. Please anyone can advise me something. Thank you
This can be a tough situation. As Dr. Tyagi mentions in the article, normally the ideal would be to evaluate his urinary frequency, to try to determine what’s causing it and to see if it’s possible to help him need to urinate less at night. For instance, we would check to see if he is often retaining urine in his bladder, and only having frequent very small pees. (If this is the case, finding a way to more substantially empty his bladder each time might help.) Sometimes making changes to medications can help with this. There are also other behavioral approaches to try to adjust a person’s urination schedule.
From a practical perspective, some approaches families sometimes use include:
– putting the mattress on the floor, so that the person can’t get up and fall as easily
– encouraging a bedside urinal
– having the person wear an adult diaper at night, and reassuring them it’s ok to use it
I also have more suggestions on sleep and dementia here: How to Manage Sleep Problems in Dementia. good luck!
Hi! My grandma kept telling me how hard for her to sleep when it is passed midnight. I didn’t gave it attention because I thought it was just because she sleep early. However just today, she told me thay she didn’t get any sleep at all. She also been peeing on her pants recently. I just wanna know if she’s struggling from an illness or it’s normal for aging adults.
Looking forward for your immediate response.
Hi Kailah. In general, people require less sleep as they get older, probably between 6 and 8 hours is sufficient. There can be many reasons why a person is having trouble sleeping, and needing to urinate at night can be one of them.
Incontinence of urine isn’t a normal part of aging, but it can be more common in older adults. Here’s a video that might be helpful.
You mention “reassuring them it’s ok to use the diaper” is easier said then done. Any tips besides sharing that we are unable to safely get them in and out of bed at night, and that this needs to be a team effort and there using the diaper is their contribution.
Hi Danielle. You’re right that there’s no easy answer to such a complex and exhausting challenge. I have heard from my patients’ care partners that there can be a lot of trial and error with finding an incontinence product that doesn’t leak and feels comfortable, and that may help. Sometimes it’s necessary to insert an extra product into a brief for example. Knowing your family member best, there may be another key phrase that makes it acceptable for them to urinate in the product rather than get up. Don’t give up.