Why do we have to "Pee" so much at night?

So we spoke about staying "hydrated" and "electrolytes" a few days ago, so I thought "peeing" would be a good topic to discuss today.

Why do we have to go "pee" in the middle of the night?

Well . . . here are some of the most common reasons - drinking too much fluid during the evening hours can cause you to urinate more often during the night. Caffeine and alcohol after dinner can also lead to this problem. Other common causes of urination at night include infection of the bladder or urinary tract.

Okay . . . so studies have shown that over 2/3 of men and women have to get up at least once per night and up to 60% go 2 or more times per night. So this seems to be a common pastime for many of us and unfortunately, the older that we get the more common and frequent it becomes.

So what is this really all about? . . .

Frequent urination at night is called "nocturia" . . . Now, there are some conditions that can cause this urge such as Diabetes, pregnancy, sleep apnea and diuretic medication.

And the older that we get . . . the body produces less of a specific hormone called "ADH" (antidiuretic hormone) that helps concentrate urine so that you can hold it until the morning.

Remember in several previous Health Tips we spoke about the hormone called "Cortisol" the "Stress" hormone and "Belly Fat Producer"? Well . . . Cortisol inhibits secretion of "ADH".

Cortisol is supposed to have a negative feedback effect on ADH. The absence of cortisol thus removes this inhibitory effect, "increasing" the release of ADH.

Now . . . ADH is a chemical produced in the brain that causes the kidneys to release less water, "decreasing" the amount of urine produced. A "high" ADH level causes the body to produce "less" urine. A "low" level results in "greater" urine production.

So if our Cortisol hormone is "not" functioning properly . . . and stress is at a premium . . . it affects ADH levels and 'lowers" this hormone level causing the body to produce "more" urine than the bladder can hold . . . . And BOOM . . . you're visiting the toilet in the middle of the night. And this is called "nocturia".

So how do we fix this problem of getting up to pee at night?

Well . . . to "increase" ADH production to "reduce" the production of urine, try not to drink anything after 4:00pm, There's also a natural "amino acid" (we've spoken of amino acids in several previous Health Tips) called "Glycine" that "increases" ADH to "lower" urine production.

And if you're looking for an herb . . . "Forskolin Root" is excellent for this problem.

However . . . PLEASE TAKE NOTE: this method is not for someone that takes beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers or Clonidine and blood pressure lowering drugs.

So I hope this information helps for a better, uninterrupted sleep.

Tomorrow we talk about the forbidden subject.

As always, feel free to contact me here.