Studies shows that 1 to 2 percent of adults wet the bed, though researchers think that statistic is underreported due to the embarrassing nature of the problem.
Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) in adults may be a sign of an underlying health condition. Nighttime accidents can be due to urinary tract problems, diabetes, sleep apnea, Parkinson's disease, hormones, and certain medications, and should be assessed by a healthcare provider.
Bedwetting affects people of all ages, from children to adults. Children are still learning to control their bladder, so the condition is more common before age 6. Adults with nocturnal enuresis usually have an underlying medical or psychological condition that leads to bedwetting.
Children who wet their beds are often described as "deep sleepers." These children don't wake up to the bladder's signal to void, caused by a sleep arousal (wake up) disturbance. Instead of waking up to use the toilet, the child's pelvic floor muscles relax and empty while the child sleeps.
Nocturnal enuresis or bedwetting is the involuntary release of urine during sleep. Bedwetting can be a symptom of bladder control problems like incontinence or overactive bladder or more severe structural issues, like an enlarged prostate or bladder cancer.
Overactive Bladder Muscles
If the muscles of the bladder, known as detrusor muscles, are overactive, nocturnal enuresis can occur. In fact, an overactive bladder muscle has been found in up to 70-80% of adult bedwetting patients. Bladder irritants, such as alcohol and caffeine, can contribute to detrusor instability.
Stress and anxiety in and of themselves will not cause a child who never wet the bed to start nighttime wetting. However, stress can contribute indirectly to nighttime wetting. Emotional and psychological stress can cause a child to behave or act differently, which can lead to nighttime wetting.
Bedwetting is common enough that it's considered normal for children younger than 7 years old. Its causes may include: Family history of bedwetting. 75% of children who struggle with bedwetting have a parent or immediate family member who also wet the bed as a child.
Stress or anxiety can also cause the problem, which might last long after the stress has gone. If you start bed wetting again as an adult and this persists, it could be the result of a more serious underlying problem. If this is the case, you need to go to the doctor immediately for further investigation.
Though children naturally gain bladder control at night, they do so at different ages. From 5 to 7 million kids wet the bed some or most nights -- with twice as many boys wetting their bed as girls. After age 5, about 15% of children continue to wet the bed, and by age 10, 95% of children are dry at night.
One common scenario in adults is a when the sleeper dreams that they are urinating and they wake to find they have urinated in the bed. This type of bedwetting is not generally associated with any medical problem and may be down to a disturbance in REM sleep.
Causes of waking up to pee at night in all people include: Drinking too much fluid before bedtime: Beverages containing alcohol and caffeine may make it worse. Medications that contain a diuretic: Diuretics, or water pills, cause your body to remove excess fluid and salt and make you pee more often.
Stress incontinence is common in women. Some things increase your risk, such as: Pregnancy and vaginal delivery. Pelvic prolapse.
The three most common causes of Bed-wetting in a young adult include a problem waking up to the sensation of a full or contracting bladder, making too much urine overnight, or a bladder that acts small.
One possible approach would be for your doctor to prescribe an old antidepressant, amitriptyline. It has anticholinergic properties that might make you less likely to urinate spontaneously in your sleep. More to the point, however, it reduces dreaming (Sleep, May 1, 2014).
In fact, about 75% of children who wet the bed have a parent or sibling who experienced the same problem, which shows that there are often genetic causes. However, it's important to realise that emotional issues such as stress and anxiety can in rare cases be the causes of bedwetting rather than the effects.
A number of studies have reported an association between enuresis and an increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 4.1% to 74.9% of subjects with enuresis have been reported to have ADHD.
Conversely, children who are depressed sometimes show up with symptoms common in childhood like enuresis or bed-wetting -- that's a common symptom of depression in young people. Next: What Is The Difference Between Pediatric Depression And Pediatric Bipolar Disorder?
Bed-wetting that starts in adulthood (secondary enuresis) is uncommon and requires medical evaluation. Causes of adult bed-wetting may include: A blockage (obstruction) in part of the urinary tract, such as from a bladder stone or kidney stone. Bladder problems, such as small capacity or overactive nerves.
When should I speak with my child's doctor about bedwetting? Bedwetting may be problematic if a child is 5 years of age or older and wets the bed at least two times per week for at least three consecutive months.
Urge incontinence.
You have a sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by an involuntary loss of urine. You may need to urinate often, including throughout the night. Urge incontinence may be caused by a minor condition, such as infection, or a more severe condition such as a neurological disorder or diabetes.
“Is it normal to dream that I pee and wake up to find that I really peed?” This is the normal way of peeing yourself in your sleep. Urination is controlled even during sleep, however the subconscious feeling of need to urinate can be built into your dream.