I’m turning 31 this Friday, so I figured — why not write about something age-appropriate: nighttime urination.
If you’re a founding member, you’ve already had a taste of my sarcasm-fueled health articles. And I think it’s only fair that you’re not the only ones who have to endure them.
So today, I’m giving everyone a taste of what my beloved founding members put up with week after week.
Anyway, I’m feeling a little extra silly today — but instead of writing 10 pages about how annoying I can be, let’s get into it:
Getting up at night to pee has got to be one of the most annoying sleep disruptors ever (as if there were any good ones). Especially if it happens multiple times a night.
And it’s not just annoying — it’s also terrible for sleep quality. Good sleep is the cornerstone of a healthy body and mind.
You know what’s “funny”? Whenever I write about a science-backed trick for solving annoying health problems, you can be 70% sure it’s because I dealt with it myself and then started to do some research on how to fix it.
Okay, that’s a lie — it’s 90%. After I turned 28, I went from waking up 0–1 times a night to 3–4 times. Which made me feel like this:
It got so annoying that I decided to do something about it. But hey, that’s actually good news for you — because not only am I doing the research for you, but I’m also your personal test dummy (*cough you’re welcome *cough).
But kidding aside — let’s dive in. Here are 4 science-backed hacks that helped me cut down on waking up at night to pee:
1. Hydrate correctly
Yep, you read that right. It’s possible to hydrate incorrectly. Believe me, I was just as annoyed as you might be now. The general rule is: drink most of your fluids during the day. To be more specific:
Drink at least 8 oz (240 ml) of water every hour for the first 10h after waking. This way you’ll feel less thirsty in the evening.
Note: these are averages. You don’t need to obsess over 8 oz every hour. 80 oz in the first 10h of your day — spread out as is practical — is just fine.
After that 10-hour window, you should drink no more than 5–8 oz (150–240 ml) before you go to sleep.
BTW, this isn’t just about dodging those annoying nighttime trips to the bathroom. It’s also a solid rule of thumb for general hydration throughout the day.
2. Don’t “Chug! Chug! Chug!”
It might sound crazy, but the speed at which you drink makes a huge difference. Your body’s filtration system depends not just on how much you drink, but also on how fast you drink.
If you chug your beverages, you’ll find yourself needing to urinate much sooner. So, after that 10-hour window, make sure to sip slowly. It’s ok to chug during the day.
Just to be clear, we’re still talking about water here — don’t dig out your dusty beer bong from the basement!
3. Do it like Salt Bae
I hope you’re familiar with the Salt Bae meme:
If not, I recommend looking it up on YouTube! Adding a pinch of salt to your water in the evening isn’t just healthy, it also helps your body absorb the water.
This means you’re less likely to wake up in the middle of the night. It’s a small detail, but it worked like a charm for me.
4. Don’t go to sleep agitated
This one’s a bit harder to control, but if you can, try to go to bed relaxed. Meditation or breathing exercises before bed can have a massive impact.
Personally, I find that reading or journaling does wonders to clear my mind. Whatever helps you wind down, make time for it.
It makes a huge difference in how well you sleep and you’ll wake up less often.
That’s it! Hope you enjoyed this article!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. My door (aka inbox) is always open :)
Much love,
Your kiwi-with-the-skin-on-eating friend
Hussein
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