help research nighttime or daytime

Solstice Horizons

Take the opportunity to see what Pokémon are active during your favorite times during the Solstice Horizons event, featuring Pokémon associated with day and night!

Team GO Rocket Takeover

Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at 12:00 a.m. to Sunday, June 25, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. local time

You may have a rocky road to victory ahead as you face off against Giovanni and his Shadow Regirock. A new Special Research story will be available at the beginning of this event. Progress through it to receive a Super Rocket Radar and chase down Giovanni!

You can claim this Special Research until the end of Pokémon GO: Hidden Gems on September 1, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. local time.

Find details here: Team GO Rocket Takeover

Wild Encounters During the Day

The following Pokémon will appear more frequently in the wild during the day.

Also, for the first time in Pokémon GO, you’ll be able to encounter Shiny Fomantis—if you’re lucky!

Some Trainers might even encounter the following!

Wild Encounters at Night

The following Pokémon will appear more frequently in the wild at night.

Appearing in 1- Star Raids

Appearing in 3- Star Raids

Appearing in 5- Star Raids

Appearing in Mega Raids

Field Research Tasks

The following Pokémon will be available to encounter when you complete Field Research tasks.

Starry Skies

Event-exclusive Special Research

Starry Skies, a new Special Research story starring Cosmog, will be available to Trainers level 5 and up at no cost—just log in between Friday, June 16, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday, June 25, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. local time to begin! Plus, for US$5.00 (or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency), you can play through Starry Skies a second time and encounter Cosmog again.

You can purchase a ticket for a second go at this Special Research story during the event and until Sunday, June 25, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. local time.

Ticket holders will gain access to the Special Research story during the Solstice Horizons event. To receive the Special Research, you must open Pokémon GO at some point between Friday, June 16, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday, June 25, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. local time. After you’ve received the Special Research, you can complete it at any time.

Leek Note : You can buy the event ticket and complete two sets of the research at the same time.

Help Research Daytime Pokémon

Choose this option to help research Pokémon that are more active during the day. You’ll be tasked with exploring widely and catching many Pokémon.

Help Research Nighttime Pokémon

Choose this option to help research Pokémon that are more active at night. You’ll be tasked with completing research and catching Pokémon in different ways.

Collection Challenges

Solstice Horizons–themed Collection Challenges are coming!

Complete the event-themed Collection Challenges to receive Stardust and encounters with Fomantis!

These Pokémon will be released in their shiny variant with the start of the event.

Hey, I'm LeekDuck. I create Pokémon GO graphics, resources and report Pokémon GO news. You can find them on my Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook Page. You can also find me on Twitch and YouTube!

LeekBeats Radio

Is Sleeping During the Day Instead of Night a Bad Thing?

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It’s 1:00 pm and you can barely keep your eyes open. You stayed up way too late the night before, forgot to eat breakfast and you’re begging for an IV line of coffee to try and stay awake. Or you’re on the graveyard shift and just finished up at 6 am and you’re now pumped about putting your head on the pillow as the sun’s rising! Whether out of pleasure or necessity, there are many factors fueling one’s desire or need to sleep during the day – but is it bad for you?

There are many reasons for sleeping during the day, inclusive of casual napping, shift work or chronic health conditions. Sleeping for extended periods during the day is not recommended if it can be avoided. Shorter periods of day sleep are fine, ensuring they don’t impact the quality and duration of nighttime sleep.

In this article, we’ll address the question of, “is sleeping during the day instead of night, bad?” by breaking down the main factors and issues surrounding it. Things like, why we as humans are traditionally conditioned to sleep at night, the reasons why people sleep during the day, how it can impact your overall health and ways to maximize daytime sleep if you simply don’t have any other choice.

Your Body Clock and Sleep

Let’s start with the science behind why nighttime sleep is the traditional go-to practice. Our bodies have an internal clock that regulates our sleep cycle, and it controls how we feel. Are we sluggish and ready for bed? Are we refreshed and awake?

“An internal body clock regulates your sleep cycle, controlling when you feel tired and ready for bed or refreshed and alert.” ~SleepFoundation.org, “Why Do We Need Sleep”   

Our circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle that runs our body clock, guiding us from the moment we wake up to when it’s time to go to sleep, and our slow but steady descent into tiredness in between. The University of Oxford has a quick and easy explainer on this natural phenomenon and the role it plays in our daily lives – What Makes You Tick: Circadian Rhythms .

The other driving factor behind when we feel more naturally inclined to sleep is light. Good old fashioned natural light, from the sun (see where we’re going here?).

When our eyes are exposed to natural (or artificial) light, it signals the brain whether it is day or night. As it gets darker outside, our bodies release a hormone called melatonin, which makes us tired. 

Similarly, as it gets lighter each morning, our bodies release another hormone, cortisol, to help boost our energy and stay awake. To make a long explanation short, sleeping at night is something our body is naturally programmed to do. So, if science tells us sleeping during the day is not natural, then why do people still do it?

The video below explains a quick little tip night shift workers should consider adopting.

Reasons for Sleeping During the Day

There are several reasons a person may sleep during the day. It can take the form of a quick nap to make up for a long night of restless sleep, or it may be a vital stretch of 6-8 hours for a shift worker working the graveyard roster. 

In other cases, chronic daytime sleep can be caused by a variety of medical conditions that should be addressed by a medical professional. Let’s take a closer look at each one individually.

General Fatigue

You don’t have to be a sleep specialist to know that the less sleep you get, the more tired you’ll likely feel. As we discussed earlier, it’s basic biology and the amount of sleep a person needs changes throughout their lifetime. But as a general rule, 7-9 hours is what’s required. ( source ) Are you getting this or are you feeling constantly fatigued?

Research shows nearly 30 percent of Americans are getting less than six hours of sleep per night. That can make an afternoon nap seem pretty appealing. 

The keys to success here are timing and length, to make sure you don’t negatively impact your night sleep. Experts recommend keeping your nap to 30 minutes or less to get the most immediate feeling of alertness and the least amount of sluggishness afterward.

“A 10-minute afternoon nap…. is shown to produce a number of immediate gains, including increased energy and cognitive function. The benefits of a 10-minute nap can last as long as 155 minutes.” Sleep.org

Do you have an eye mask to boost your nap? We love these ones which we have pictured below. If you’d like to see where we bought them from, click on each image.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says nearly 15 million Americans work a permanent night shift or rotate in and out of night work. That is a large sector of society predisposed to excessive fatigue, decreased cognitive abilities and a variety of physical and mental health issues. 

The need for solid daytime sleep is especially crucial for these folks. In fact, the Cleveland Clinic warns against a health condition known as “Shift Work Sleep Disorder,” characterized by:

• Excessive sleepiness
• Trouble concentrating
• Headaches ( this video may help reduce the throbbing pain in your head)

We have more on how to maximize daytime sleep for those who have no other choice a little further down in this article.

Related: Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD) – What Is It and How to Avoid It?

Medical Conditions

The American Sleep Association defines Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, or EDS, as “having an increased pressure to fall asleep during typical wake hours.” It can also be referred to as “hypersomnia” and is usually a symptom of an underlying issue or condition.

The Mayo Clinic lists the following conditions as ones that may contribute to excessive daytime sleepiness.

• Insomnia – you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night.
• Sleep apnea – you experience abnormal patterns in breathing while you are asleep. There are several types of sleep apnea. (Keep reading – Can Working Night Shift Cause Sleep Apnea? )
• Restless legs syndrome (RLS) – a sleep movement disorder. Restless legs syndrome, also called Willis-Ekbom disease, causes an uncomfortable sensation and an urge to move the legs while you try to fall asleep.
• Narcolepsy – a condition characterized by extreme sleepiness during the day and falling asleep suddenly during the day.

According to the Sleep Foundation , those suffering from mental health conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, general anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder may also experience extreme fatigue during the day.

Curious if you should be concerned about your sleep habits? Here is a link to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, which is used to assess daytime sleepiness. The higher the score (specifically 10 or higher), the higher the concern that there may be an underlying condition fueling the excessive fatigue. This can be a helpful tool, however if you feel something may be wrong, it’s always best to contact a medical professional.

Physical and Mental Impact of Daytime Sleep

We’ve established our bodies are more naturally inclined to sleep at night and we’ve gone deeper into some of the many reasons people may sleep during the day. Now, we’ll take a closer look at the pros and cons of daytime sleep.

Let’s start with the negative effects on the body and mind (we like to end things on a high note here!). Unfortunately, the list of potential negative side effects when it comes to daytime sleep is far longer than the positive effects, but it really boils down to your individual needs and lifestyle.

For example, shift workers often have no choice but to sleep for long periods of time during the day. It’s a practice that goes against the body’s internal time clock and circadian rhythm, and can potentially lead to trouble falling asleep, excessive daytime fatigue, headaches, trouble concentrating or memory issues.

Tiredness and lack of focus can increase the risk of significant health and safety problems for shift workers, including:

• Making errors at work
• Heart disease
• Insulin resistance, which increases the risk of diabetes
• Drug and alcohol misuse
• Metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes

~ The Department of Homeland Security

For those who don’t do shift work or have an underlying medical condition, daytime sleep more often takes the form of a nap. As mentioned previously, the potential impact of a nap (good or bad) is based on length and time of day.  The goal is not to let that daytime sleep impact your night sleep. 

This study, published in the National Library of Medicine, found “A nap of less than 30 min duration during the day promotes wakefulness and enhances performance and learning ability. In contrast, the habit of taking frequent and long naps may be associated with higher morbidity and mortality, especially among the elderly.” Basically – nap too long and you may feel even more tired and groggy for the rest of the day.

Timing a nap is also crucial to its effectiveness. The Mayo Clinic recommends napping before 3:00pm to avoid interrupting nighttime sleep. The last thing you want to do is sleep too late in the day, not be able to fall asleep at night, then need another nap the next day to compensate for the excessive fatigue. A cycle you do not want to get into.

Daytime sleep is not all bad though. 

The Mayo Clinic also lists the following potential benefits of a well-timed nap:

• Reduced fatigue
• Increased alertness
• Improved mood
• Improved performance, including quicker reaction time and better memory

Some people also feel more productive during the quiet overnight hours and prefer to work while the rest of the world sleeps. Again, so much of this comes down to personal preference and what works best for YOU as an individual.

Maximizing Daytime Sleep

For those who have no choice but to sleep during the day, there are ways you can maximize the potential benefits and minimize the potential negative effects. Some self-reflection and planning can go a long way in ensuring you are as well-rested as possible, even while battling biological and environmental factors.

• Create a sleep routine and stick to it (the video below shows you how to do this)
• If napping, keep it short and in the early afternoon. However, important to note that individual factors like your need for sleep, your age and medication use can also play a role in the best time of day to nap. (The Mayo Clinic)
• Maintain a healthy diet and exercise
• Try a probiotic – here is why they matter
• Create an environment conducive to sleeping. Installing blackout blinds, using a white noise machine and keeping the temperature cool can all help you get the most out of sleeping during the day.
• Minimize distractions. Silence your devices, avoid blue light (we use these glasses to do this), put a note on the door and ask any roommates or family members to kindly keep the noise down. It can also be tough to block out the anxiety or stress of the day, so a quick meditation or breathing exercises can help clear your mind before you try and sleep. 

In summary, is sleeping during the day really that bad for you? To sum it all up, the research suggests sleeping during the day for long periods of time is not ideal. However, as we’ve mentioned previously, the decision of when to sleep lies more with your own personal needs, health and lifestyle. It may be worth rephrasing the question to say, “Is sleeping during the day instead of night bad, FOR ME?”

Do a bit of self-reflection and really think about why you’re sleeping during the day to begin with, what you’re hoping to get out of it, the potential consequences that come with it and the potential side effects of NOT doing it. Whatever you decide, we hope this article has given you the information, perspective and guidance needed to consider all sides of the daytime sleep debate.

Emma @ The Other Shift

Hey there! I'm Emma Smith a passionate, Registered Nurse from Australia. Together with my husband Daniel, we run The Other Shift. Our sole aim is to help shift workers and those on unusual schedules find balance between work and life. I understand the challenges of fitting in exercise, maintaining relationships and getting enough quality sleep, but I'm excited to show you that it’s possible to do shift work and still thrive. Read more about us and our story here.

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Day Or Night: What Is The Optimal Time To Do Study?

Is the daytime or nighttime better for studying? Here’s what the research says about studying the effectiveness at different times.

For students, settling down and focusing is key to a successful academic life. Yet with so many distractions around — smartphones, streaming, the internet — an engaging session of homework can be more elusive than expected. 

Writing an essay, revising for a test, or committing essential facts to memory – these can take some discipline and planning. It’s stressful for those at school (and their parents) to realize suddenly the assignment hasn’t been touched and the weekend’s almost over. 

Keeping to a regular schedule assists the kids in getting everything done and assimilating the information in a sustainable way. A good schedule and workstation facilitates effective learning and prevents the stress of last-minute rush. So when planning, is day or night better for studying?

Time and your brain

The time of day could have an impact on the type of brain activity or studying you should do. People’s brains might be sharper in the earlier hours, following a good night’s rest and after a healthful breakfast. 

During the earlier hours, the human brain might be more receptive to grasping new things or revisiting notes. As you’re more alert then, you might be able to recall data and details more effectively. 

Afternoons, on the other hand, could be better for integrating information, making connections, and getting the big-picture view. This can be a great period for enhancing the meaningfulness of their studies and deepen their understanding. In most cases , keeping to a predictable routine could be a great approach.

Night or day for studying?

While different times could be better for certain types of academic activity, whether nighttime or daytime is better will depend on the person. Everyone has their own natural rhythm and the research suggests you should align with it rather than against it. 

During daylight larks, for example , will be efficient at analytical work that needs strong focus. More routine, repetitive work could be done later. However, night owls, in contrast, will find the reverse to be true. Some people might be a little bit of both a night owl and a morning lark. 

Working out your learning style and identifying your energy levels can assist you in figuring out when is the best moment to do certain types of studies. Taking into account your favorite (and least favorite) subjects can also be important. For example, for someone who hates numbers, getting math homework out of the way earlier might be ideal.

Day studiers vs night studiers

The road to productivity lies in experimentation. Observe how you (or your child) does at different times. Consider when you assimilate information more effectively and when it’s easier to make connections between ideas. This can enable you to determine whether you’re a day studier or a nighttime studier — or perhaps somewhere in between.

Larks tend to have more energy in the early hours. They find it easier to concentrate and to absorb and retain facts in the morning. It lets you take advantage of natural light and helps you avoid disrupting your sleep routine. It’s also easier to connect with classmates for study groups.

Owls are those who have more energy and better focus later. They might find afternoons, evenings, or nighttime to be optimal periods for getting things done. You can take advantage of having fewer distractions and a quieter environment as people are winding down. 

Furthermore, going to bed right after homework could help you consolidate facts more effectively, thereby enhancing your recall. Owls should be careful about getting enough sleep and avoid their schedule interrupting the quality of rest. It’s a good idea to start early if possible so you can finish and get to bed.

Finding the best time

So is it possible to find the optimal time for everyone? There isn’t one that applies to all. Each person will have their own preferences, learning style, and varying energy levels. Start by working out whether you’re an owl or lark and paying attention to your peak energy levels. 

With a bit of experimentation, you and your child can find the best moment to undertake an effective review. This could change depending on the type of work the student is undertaking, along with their subject preferences.

Peak performance and productivity are never exact sciences, so parents and children will need to dedicate a little effort to find the prime time to study. Of course, identifying optimal periods is only one part of an effective study plan. To support those at school who are doing their best, empower students — especially older ones — in taking charge of their plans. 

Reward them for achieving optimal outcomes. As parents, it’s also useful to guide your kids with a little context as to why certain topics might be important for their future. The opportunity to learn is a reward in itself, but children might appreciate an understanding of why subjects are useful.

Written By Luke Fitzpatrick

Luke Fitzpatrick has been published in Forbes, Yahoo! News and Influencive. He is also a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney, lecturing in Cross-Cultural Management and the Pre-MBA Program. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.

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Researchers use 3D printers to combine multiple drugs into one 'polypill' to lower risk of under or overdosing

By Liz Gwynn

Topic: Pharmaceuticals

Researchers are using the same 3D printing technology that makes toys, teeth moulds and car parts to combine multiple drugs into one "polypill". 

A single pill could ease the "tablet burden" for people who take multiple medications a day, Queensland University PhD student Liam Krueger said. 

Polypharmacy is becoming a bigger problem as our population ages — older people especially may take ten medications or more a day, which carries a risk of over or underdosing, he said.

"The older you get the more medication you are likely to take," he said. 

"I also work as a community pharmacist and one patient takes just over 30 tablets a day, which is a high tablet burden."

University of Queensland researchers have found a way to use 3D printers to make a single pill tailored to patients.  

The medication is mixed with a bio-compatible polymer, which allows a staged release of different drugs into the body through the day. 

Liam Krueger with one of the tablets that has a moon and sun shape printed on to it to help people who are vision impaired.

"You can put different medications in one tablet so you only have to take one tablet during the day which would reduce the chances of someone overdosing or underdosing," University of Queensland's Associate Professor Dr Amirali Popat said.

'Sky is the limit' with 3D printed medication 

3D printed pharmaceuticals could help parents by producing medication that is smaller, or more appealing to children by using different shapes or colours.

Researchers believe it would also assist people who are blind or vision impaired. 

"We can change the colour to make it more identifiable, add symbols like the sun and moon for the morning and night dose, or directly print braille onto the top or side of tablets to make it easier to read," Mr Krueger said.

"The sky is the limit, you can have braille, different shapes, colours and sizes," Dr Popat said.

"You can really improve patient adherence so we are really excited about that aspect."

3D printers could also benefit rural and remote communities where there can be medication shortages or shipping delays.

"If we had the opportunity to produce these on site in local communities where the pharmacist could do it on the spot, I think it would help provide much better healthcare for patients in these communities," University of Queensland researcher Dr Jared Miles said.

Some of the colours and shapes possible with 3D printing.  ( ABC News: Liz Gwynn )

"It also has a lot to offer Aboriginal communities because we know the burden of chronic diseases, which often require more medication."

How does it work?

The tablet is made one layer at a time. Medication is melted and combined with other ingredients to help it dissolve in the stomach.

This is how 3D printed medication could look.  ( ABC News: Liz Gwynn )

"The medications are mixed with bio-compatible polymer and we can choose from a variety of different polymers that are immediate release and dissolve straight away or that are time dependent," Mr Krueger said.

3D printers are currently used to make toys, teeth moulds, car parts and even artificial limbs. ( ABC News: Liz Gwynn )

Clinical trials have been carried out overseas but it's still unclear how the Therapeutic Goods Administration will regulate 3D printed medicines.

"Overseas there is a quite a bit happening, there are clinical trials in France — there is a 3D printer working in a cancer clinic in a hospital there, so it has started," Mr Krueger said.

"Australia is lagging behind a little bit, so we will need a couple more years."

Screen Time and Sleep—It’s Different for Adults

By Mary Grace Descourouez, MS, NBC-HWC

Many of us have heard that looking at our phones or iPads at night can keep us awake due to light exposure, however, research shows this may be true for children, but there is not sufficient evidence to support this claim for adults .

“Young children have a greater sensitivity to light because more light gets to the retina of a child than an adult,” says Jamie Zeitzer, PhD, Co-Director of the Stanford Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences. “Since adults have more opacities in their eyes and smaller pupils than children, less light passes through adult eyes, so there’s less of an effect on melatonin production.”

Melatonin is a hormone that makes us feel sleepy and is released when the eyes perceive darkness. Conversely, when we see natural light in the morning, we feel more awake because light hitting our eyes stops the production of melatonin.

Given this logic, it would seem reasonable that looking at our screens (smart phones, computers, iPads, etc.) at night could delay melatonin production and inhibit our ability to fall asleep, but Dr. Zeitzer says this is not the case.

While darkness enables melatonin production, suppressing melatonin production works by the brain comparing the amount of light we receive during at night with how much we received during the day. It’s the shift from light to dark that cues the release of melatonin, which is why we start to feel sleepy after the sun goes down.

Since natural sunlight emits 10,000-100,000 lux of light and phone screens emit 25-50 lux under usual conditions at night, Dr. Zeitzer says the light from our screens doesn’t have much of an impact on the melatonin cueing process.

“There just isn’t that much light coming from your phone,” says Dr. Zeitzer. “As long as you go outside during the day and get exposed to the intensity of natural light then the amount of light from a screen in the evening most likely won’t halt the production of melatonin.”

If it’s Not Light, What Keeps us Up at Night?

Rather than light exposure, Dr. Zeitzer believes that what is keeping us awake is what we are watching on our screens. Millions of Americans stay awake at night scrolling on social media looking at page after page of emotionally activating content and writing posts that lead to likes, comments, and followers. Others stay up to play games on their phones or computers, all of which stimulate the dopamine reward system in the brain, which is the basis of addictive behaviors .

“In the past, when a television show ended, you turned off the TV and went to sleep because there was nothing else to do,” says Dr. Zeitzer. “But now you could watch Netflix, look at apps or play computer games all night because this entertainment has been commodified to engaged with it for as long as possible; it’s optimized to never stop playing and this is causing sleep deprivation.”

When watching screens before bed, Dr. Zeitzer recommends that we not only avoid content that could be distressing, but also content that could stir excitement within us.

“In order to fall asleep, we need to reduce stimuli exposure and calm our mind and body,” says Dr. Zeitzer. “Even if you’re watching something positive, if it stirs excitement, the brain will release dopamine, and over time we can develop a dopamine addiction, making staying awake playing games or on social media much more fun that going to sleep.”

Lastly, Dr. Zeitzer says that he can’t make a general statement that nighttime screen use negatively affects everyone’s sleep. For some, their addiction to games or apps could make falling asleep a challenge, while others may watch soothing nature videos on their phones to help them relax and fall asleep. Therefore, Dr. Zeitzer suggests that you take note of how screens are impacting your sleep health by asking yourself these questions:

• Is the content of your screen time making you feel distressed or excited? If yes, then you should not look at screens for about an hour before bedtime to calm the mind and body and prepare for sleep.
• Also, do you engage with screens throughout the night when you could be sleeping? If so, you may have a dopamine addiction that is making screen time activities more enjoyable than sleep.

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Why Am I Peeing a Lot at Night?

Maggie O’Neill is a health writer and reporter based in New York who specializes in covering medical research and emerging wellness trends, with a focus on cancer and addiction. Prior to her time at Health, her work appeared in the Observer, Good Housekeeping, CNN, and Vice. She was a fellow of the Association of Health Care Journalists’ 2020 class on Women’s Health Journalism and 2021 class on Cancer Reporting. In her spare time, she likes meditating, watching TikToks, and playing fetch with her dog, Finnegan.

• Causes for Nocturia
• What To See a Provider
• Treatment Options

demaerre / Getty Images

Waking up one or more times during the night to urinate—or nocturia—may have you asking if you should be worried if you pee a lot at night. Not necessarily—but it is a good idea to discuss the issue with a medical provider. Nocturia becomes more common with age and is a frequent complication for people who have given birth. In some cases, it may also signal a medical condition.

Nocturia can significantly affect the quality of your sleep and your waking life. If it's causing you problems, speak with a healthcare provider. Treatment options range from lifestyle modifications to treatment for underlying conditions.

Here's what to know about the specific causes, diagnosis, and treatment of needing to pee a lot at night.

What Causes Peeing a Lot at Night?

The causes of nocturia vary, and people might have one or a combination of the issues. Tracking how much you drink, as well as how often and how much you urinate, can help you determine what's causing you to pee so much at night. It can also be helpful to track your weight at the same time every day, using the same scale.

Polyuria could be the reason you can't sleep through the night without a bathroom break. There are two types of polyuria: nocturnal and global.

Nocturnal polyuria is the most common cause of nocturia, affecting around 88% of people with the condition, but it affects older adults more often.

Nocturnal polyuria happens when there is a decreased production of urine in the daytime compared to nighttime production. The nighttime production must be greater than 20% of the total amount of urine produced within 24 hours for younger adults and more than 33% for older adults.

If polyuria occurs day and night, it's considered global polyuria. This type of polyuria is the result of increased urine production during the day and at night.

Global polyuria is defined as a person having a urine volume of more than 2,800 milliliters per kilogram within 24 hours or a produced volume of over 3,000 milliliters daily. Global polyuria is also related to excessive fluid intake in general.

Bladder Storage and Capacity Issues

Some people with nocturnal polyuria also have low bladder capacity, meaning that their bladder does not have enough "storage" for the amount of urine being produced. A number of things can cause low bladder capacity, including infections and inflammation. Alternatively, there can be emptying issues due to blockage.

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): Prostatic hyperplasia is when the prostate and surrounding tissue is enlarged. People who have this may feel like their bladder is full even after they urinate. Treatment options include prescription drugs like alpha-blockers or surgery.
• Low bladder capacity at night: Many people who experience nocturia are affected by both nocturnal polyuria and low nocturnal bladder capacity. These are two separate issues, but people affected by both are diagnosed with mixed nocturia.
• Overactive bladder: When your bladder is squeezing out urine at the wrong time, you may have an overactive bladder. This condition may cause you to urinate more than two times a night and more than eight times a day.
• Urethral stricture disease: This condition can lead to nocturia. That's when swelling, infection, or injury produces a scar that blocks or slows the flow of urine in the urethra, the tube that lets urine leave the body. The condition is more common in people with a penis because of the longer urethra.

Sleep Problems

Nocturia may also be the result of sleep problems. These problems typically are rooted in having a lack of sleep or disrupted sleep throughout the night.

It's thought that the link between nocturia and sleep issues is bidirectional—one condition can affect the occurrence of the other. For example, a person might have disrupted sleep because of nocturia, but nocturia might occur because of the disrupted sleep.

Sleep disorders that can cause nocturia include:

• Sleep disordered breathing (e.g., sleep apnea )
• Restless legs syndrome (RLS)
• REM sleep behavioral disorder

Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Problems with hormones that work according to your circadian rhythm —your 24-hour rhythm—can lead to nocturia.

Your circadian rhythm works like an internal clock. It puts you to sleep when it is dark and wakes you up when it is light. For people with circadian rhythm disorders, this sleep-wake pattern is dysfunctional or may even be entirely reversed.

Circadian rhythm disorders affect more than when your body sleeps and wakes. They also affect your body's metabolic processes, including when you need to use the restroom. So if your internal clock thinks you should be awake at night, it can also think you should urinate at night.

Types of Circadian Rhythm Disorders

There are different types of circadian rhythm disorders, including:

• Advanced sleep-wake phase disorder
• Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder
• Irregular sleep-wake rhythm disorder
• Jet lag disorder
• Non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder

Lifestyle Factors

Researchers have indicated that moderate exercise is potentially beneficial for decreasing instances of nocturia. However, not engaging in exercise can do the opposite. The condition has been associated with being less physically active.

Nocturia has also been connected to consuming a lot of salt. Research found that participants who did not reduce their salt intake experienced nocturia more compared to participants who did reduce their intake.

Drinking a lot of fluids before bedtime—especially caffeine or alcohol—can also increase your nighttime bathroom trips. Caffeine and alcohol can make you have to pee more often in general and are considered bladder irritants .

Medical or Mental Health Conditions

Some medical and mental health conditions may be associated with nocturia as well. They include conditions such as:

• Congestive heart failure
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Liver failure
• Peripheral edema (swelling due to fluid buildup in lower limbs)
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Medications for some of these conditions, like hypertension and depression, may also contribute to nocturia.

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

You may find yourself losing sleep because of nocturia. See a healthcare provider for an evaluation if any of the following statements are true for you.

• Waking up at night to pee has been going on for several days
• You're bothered by having to pee so much at night
• You have a burning sensation when you pee

How Nocturia Is Diagnosed

If the cause of nocturia is unknown, a healthcare provider may perform a cystoscopy. This is a procedure that allows the healthcare provider to examine the inside of your bladder by inserting a thin tube with a lens inside the urethra.

Urgent issues like UTIs will need to be treated. You might be asked to keep a "fluid and voiding diary." This entails keeping a record of everything you drink and every time you have to go to the bathroom. The diary can help a provider figure out what might be causing your nocturia.

Treatment Options for Peeing a Lot at Night

Generally, lifestyle changes and/or other medical treatments are recommended to treat nocturia. Treatment for nocturia might involve curing whatever ailment has led to the condition instead of curing the condition directly.

Treatment may not be necessary either. Nocturia is considered a normal part of aging. If nocturia bothers you a lot, treatment can be helpful. It may not eliminate the condition entirely, but it can reduce your bathroom trips to one or two a night.

Lifestyle Remedies

If there's no underlying condition to address, making lifestyle changes may help.

Try these tips to help reduce the number of times you pee at night:

• Avoid afternoon naps or take them before 3 p.m. Avoid going to bed too early.
• Develop a relaxing bedtime routine about 20 to 30 minutes before bedtime. Try soothing music, yoga, breathing exercises, reading, or a warm bath. Create a relaxing bedroom environment (think lighting, temperature, sounds). Limit screen time before hitting the hay.
• Elevate your legs at night and/or use support hose, or compression stockings, from after dinner until bedtime
• Get regular physical activity, but nothing too close to bedtime. You may want to take a morning or afternoon walk, for example.
• Limit caffeinated beverages and alcohol before bedtime
• Limit how much fluid you're drinking in the afternoon and stop drinking fluid two hours before bedtime
• Smoking can interfere with your sleep. Try not to use tobacco products after dinner.
• Reduce the salt and protein in your diet, especially later in the day
• Train your pelvic floor muscle
• Try not to let your mind run. Avoiding thoughts of serious life problems, problem-solving, or "rehashing daytime events" may help you sleep.
• Use compression stockings if you have swelling in your calves, ankles, or feet
• Use your bed only for sleeping or sexual activity

You may also want to consider using a bedside commode or urinal to reduce the number of times you have to get up at night. Using these devices can help reduce the risk of falls. If falls are a concern, try using nightlights and removing obstacles like loose rugs or furniture that could be in your way at night.

Medical Treatments

Behavioral therapy focuses on a number of different areas, like urge-suppression techniques, sleep hygiene, Kegel exercises , and more. Creating a comfortable sleeping environment and getting quality sleep may also be a focus of behavioral therapy.

Medications, including the following examples, can be used to treat underlying conditions, particularly overactive bladder, nocturnal polyuria, and male prostatic obstruction.

• Alpha-blockers: These medications help treat male prostatic obstruction. However, they do a better job treating other prostatic hyperplasia symptoms than they do reducing nocturia. Using alpha-blockers for female nocturia is less studied and may not work.
• Antidiuretic hormone therapy: This is the recommended treatment for people with nocturnal polyuria. It seems to work best for people with severe nocturia. Antidiuretic hormone causes your body to produce less urine.
• Bladder relaxing medications:  Anticholinergics or Beta-3-agonists are examples of medications that can increase bladder capacity and reduce urinary frequency and urgency. They seem to work well for people with overactive bladder.
• Topical vaginal estrogen: Post-menopausal people may benefit from this treatment to reduce female nocturia.

Sometimes a combination of therapies may be needed to reduce nocturia. Consult a healthcare provider to get the right treatment or combination of treatments for your needs.

A Quick Review

Nocturia is popularly considered an unavoidable part of aging, but it's often a sign of a treatable medical condition. Lifestyle modifications, like getting into healthy habits that promote sleep, may help treat some cases of nocturia. Medications and other treatments are also available.

Just because peeing at night is common doesn't mean it may not bother you. Talk to a healthcare provider if you're concerned about how much you've been getting up to pee at night. Abnormal symptoms when peeing, like a burning sensation, should always be checked out.

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