The Nighttime Bathroom Marathon (Nocturia)

Pearls for Parkinson's: Tips for Daily Living with PD. 

To watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/g_A2jah1LVY

Are you up multiple times a night to use the bathroom?

Are you waking up exhausted?

There’s actually a reason this happens in Parkinson’s - and it’s not just your bladder.

In this episode of Pearls for Parkinson’s, we talk about what’s happening in the body overnight and how a few small changes can make a big difference.

Take a few minutes to listen—you might be surprised by what’s contributing to those nighttime trips.

To support more programs like this: https://wiparkinson.app.neoncrm.com/forms/support-pearls4pd

Wisconsin Parkinson Association 
website: https://wiparkinson.org/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wiparkinson
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wiparkinson/
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiparkinson/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Welcome to Pearls for Parkinson's. Here is this week's Daily Living Tip. Welcome back to Pearls for Parkinson's. Today we're talking about the nighttime bathroom marathon. It's not uncommon that I hear why am I up all night going to the bathroom? If you're up three, four, even five times a night, it's not just frustrating, it's exhausting. So why does this happen in Parkinson's? Well, there are two main reasons. First, the bladder becomes more overactive and it sends signals to go even when it's not very full. But second, and this is a big one, Parkinson's affects how the body handles fluids. During the day, fluid can build up in your legs, and sometimes you don't even really see it, especially if you're sitting more. Then when you go to lie down at night, that fluid shifts back into circulation and gets processed by your kidneys. So now your body is actually producing more urine overnight. And when you combine that with urgency and disrupted sleep, it turns into a really long night. So, what can help? One simple strategy is elevating your legs in the evening for about an hour. This helps your body to process that fluid earlier instead of overnight. And it's not just about what you drink, it's about when you drink it. Try to spread your fluids out during the day and be more mindful of heavier intake later in the evening. In the two hours before bed, try to limit your fluids, with the exception of what you need to take for your medications. And now let's talk about something that can really make a difference over time, something not a lot of people know about. And it's called pelvic floor exercises. These are the muscles that help support your bladder and control when you urinate. In Parkinson's, those muscles become less coordinated, not because you're doing anything wrong, but because of how the body and the brain are communicating. You'll often hear these called kaggles, but this is really much more than just doing kaggles on your own. Pelvic floor training is about strength and coordination and control. And when it's done correctly, you can really help hold your urine longer, reduce that urgency, and even decrease how often you're waking up at night. And here's the key many people aren't doing these correctly on their own. That's where pelvic floor exercise therapy comes in. These are specially trained physical and occupational therapists who work one-on-one with you to teach you the right muscles, the right timing, and how to apply it in real life. And these are for both men and women. It's one of the most underused and effective tools that we have for bladder control in Parkinson's. And as always, if nighttime symptoms suddenly change or worsen, it's important to check in and rule out other causes. If this is something that you're dealing with, you're not alone. Sometimes these small changes and the right support can really make a meaningful difference in your sleep. Even one last trip to the bathroom at night can help change how you feel the next day. I hope you liked this episode. If you did, hit that like button, share it with a friend or a support group, and tune in next Monday for more pearls for Parkinson's. The Wisconsin Parkinson Association is a grassroots organization funded by people like you. To support more local programming like this, visit wiparkinson.org.