Every week, Hussain Al-Zubaidi, a GP, will see at least one patient who suffers from nocturia, the medical term for needing to get up in the night to pee. A weak bladder has long been known as a side-effect of getting older, and nocturia has been found to affect between 69% and 93% of men over 70. It is often related to benign prostatic hyperplasia, the swelling of the prostate and surrounding tissue that occurs with age.
“For many men over 60, this means that their ability to empty their bladder is poorer,” says Al-Zubaidi, the lifestyle and physical activity lead for the Royal College of GPs. “They take longer when standing over the toilet and generally they’ll retain urine, which means they’re much more likely to be triggered to wake up and go for a wee in the night.”
