7 Common Causes of Bedwetting in Adults –
Bedwetting in children is fairly normal. However, bedwetting in adults is uncommon. According to the National Association for Continence, at least 2% of adults lose control and wet their beds at night.
For adults, bedwetting is not only an embarrassing condition. It can also be a sign of another medical trouble. Bedwetting or Nocturnal Enuresis (NE) can be hard for adult patients to talk about at the doctor’s office, especially those who had this problem since childhood.
What causes bed wetting? Here are several causes of bedwetting in adults.
Low Antidiuretic Hormone
A low antidiuretic hormone can cause adults to wet their beds. This happens when your brain does not produce enough antidiuretic hormones that tell your body that it is time to go to the bathroom. As a result, your bladder overflows.
Smaller Functional Bladder
This is the opposite of low antidiuretic hormone. A smaller functional bladder can cause bedwetting for adults. It occurs when the brain sends signals to your body that your bladder is already full and to release when it is not actually full yet.
Deep Sleeping
Being a deep sleeper can cause you to wet your bed. If you are already in the phase of deep non-REM sleep, it can be difficult for you to wake up and go to the toilet to urinate.
Constipation
Constipation is another cause of bedwetting in adults. Having too much stool in the rectum reduces the capacity of the bladder. The stool left in the rectum causes it to expand. It pushes against the bladder, making it hard for the bladder to hold the urine.
Diabetes
Diabetes can cause adult bedwetting. High blood sugar pulls water out of your blood, which causes more frequent urination.
Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infection (UTI) can cause bedwetting in adults. Bedwetting caused by UTI is not regular but rather occasional, especially for women. The bacteria in the bladder can irritate your bladder wall which causes the need for frequent and immediate urination, even if the person is sleeping. It can be difficult for a person to hold his urine while asleep and the rest of the body is shut off, resulting in bedwetting.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea can cause adult bedwetting by decreasing the body’s arousal response while increasing the intra-abdominal pressure when an apnea event occurs. This places more pressure on your bladder, resulting in a bedwetting episode. OSA can cause frequent nocturnal enuresis in adults.
Conclusion
Bedwetting can happen not only in children but also in adults. You may feel embarrassed after waking up and seeing your sheets wet, but it is not your fault. Bedwetting can be due to a problem with your bladder or a medical condition. If the problem is caused by obstructive sleep apnea, seek advice by going to a medical expert specializing in sleep disorders not only to get a diagnosis but also to know the effective treatment for your problems.