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"Why do I have to go to the toilet during the night?  Nocturia \u2013 having to get up during the night to go to the toilet \u2013 is more likely to occur as people get older.  The problem is extremely common among older men because it can be caused by an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic enlargement). The prostate presses on the tube called the urethra and prevents the bladder from emptying completely \u2013 hence the need for more frequent trips to the toilet.  However, recent studies have shown that many older women also suffer from the same problem. Other causes of nocturia  Swollen legs associated with a heart condition. Taking a diuretic medicine that causes more urination. Having a different &amp;#039;body clock&amp;#039;, which causes a normal daytime urination pattern to occur at night. If the bladder is unstable/overactive as a result of cystitis. Diabetes, if it is not adequately controlled. This leads to sugar appearing in the urine, which stimulates extra urine to be produced.   How to tackle the problem   Take diuretic medicines, eg bendroflumethiazide in the late evening, so that their therapeutic effect is complete before you go to bed. Drink your normal liquid intake but earlier in the day. Avoid drinking late at night, particularly caffeinated tea and coffee or beer all of which have a diuretic effect. Keep a diary of how much you drink, what you drink and when. This will help you identify situations that may make the nocturia worse. Changing to decaffeinated beverages may help. Your GP having assessed your LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms) may decide to prescribe medication to try and improve matters. If the cause of your symptoms is attributed primarily to BPE (benign prostatic enlargement) then an alpha-blocker such as tamsulosin (Flomax) may improve your LUTS within a short space of time. In addition, if your prostate is significantly enlarged and your PSA level is greater than 1.3 ug/L, a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, such as finasteride or dutasteride, may shrink your prostate by around a third over 3-6 months and thus improve your symptoms. Dual therapy is sometimes required, with both of the above mentioned categories of drug being co-prescribed. If your GP assesses the main underlying problem to be an unstable or overactive bladder, then an anti-cholinergic medication, such as oxybutynin, tolterodine, solifenacin, may be of considerable benefit in reducing your nocturia. Finally, should your body clock be out of sync, there is a treatment often prescribed for children with primary enuresis (desmopressin) that could be of benefit. This medicine is usually initiated in patients over the age of 65 following recommendation by a consultant urologist; your kidney function will have to be carefully monitored, in case water retention develops.   Other people also read: Cystitis: advice to prevent cystitis. Diabetes: diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar level is higher than normal. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): what kinds of problems can an enlarged prostate cause?  Based on a text by Dr Bettina Norby  Last updated 03.10.2012 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/conditions/liver-kidney-and-urinary-system/a3031/nocturia-night-time-urination/>