Enlarged Prostate Sleep Problems: What You Need to Know

When you have an enlarged prostate gland, you may develop lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) as the larger gland presses against your bladder and urethra. These symptoms include a frequent or urgent need to urinate, as well as waking several times in the night because you have to pee. Now, night time waking is very common in men over the age of 50—in fact, surveys reveal that, after the age of 50, more than 80% of men wake up to pee at least once a month. Perhaps not surprisingly, that is the age when many men will experience prostate growth due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH.) So, can BPH keep you up at night? And can you resolve enlarged prostate sleep problems? Here’s what you need to know.

Enlarged Prostate Sleep Problems: How BPH Impacts Your Night

According to this study, a significant number of men with symptomatic BPH experience poor sleep quality. And certain BPH symptoms are more likely to keep you up at night than others, specifically:

• The frequent need to urinate, regardless of the time of day
• The urgent need to urinate, often with little warning

Not surprisingly, needing to urinate urgently and frequently is likely to disrupt your sleep. Moreover, waking frequently at night can take a toll on your overall quality of sleep, even when you aren’t up and running to the bathroom. And these enlarged prostate sleep problems don’t just impact men with BPH; about 64% of people whose partners’ have nocturia due to BPH report sleep disruptions, too.

Now, losing sleep isn’t just unpleasant or inconvenient. In fact, it can lead to memory loss; difficulties functioning throughout your day; increased stress; and an increased risk for depression as well as for diabetes. Luckily, these sleep disruptions don’t have to be permanent. By treating BPH, you can find symptom relief and enjoy improved sleep quality and duration.

BPH Treatment Options

When your enlarged prostate is causing sleep problems, you may find relief with a variety of treatment options. Some men will sleep better by eliminating all fluid intake in the two hours before bedtime. (It’s also helpful to limit or eliminate caffeine and alcohol intake, since both drinks can increase your need to urinate.) Other men may find symptom relief with medications such as Cialis for BPH.  But for lasting relief that shrinks your prostate—without surgery—you can explore PAE treatment (prostatic artery embolization). This minimally invasive procedure reduces blood flow to the prostate, in turn reducing its size and helping alleviate enlarged prostate sleep problems. A great option for men who wish to avoid surgery—and its associated side effects—you can explore your candidacy for PAE by requesting a consultation at the Texas Prostate Institute.