health
7 tips for a good night’s sleep with overactive bladder
Overactive bladder, or OAB, is characterized by an uncontrollable urge to urinate more often than usual, even at night. It can play havoc with one’s sleep cycle, as patients wake up from their beds and rush to the bathroom multiple times. Determining the condition’s underlying cause helps doctors suggest a suitable treatment course to manage the issue. Besides following the recommended treatment, a few tips can help patients with an overactive bladder sleep better. Avoid drinking too many fluids at night Although fluids are necessary to avoid dehydration, excessive fluid intake at night can aggravate overactive bladder symptoms and disturb one’s sleep. Hence, patients must avoid having too many fluids after sunset and restrict water intake to a few sips after dinner. Limit caffeine intake Caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee have a diuretic effect, meaning they tend to increase one’s frequency of urination. Since the situation can worsen among individuals with this condition, they should limit their caffeine intake during the day and avoid it entirely in the evening for proper sleep. Avoid certain foods and beverages Certain foods and beverages like sweeteners, tomato-based products, carbonated beverages, and spicy foods can trigger or aggravate overactive bladder symptoms and affect sleep.