Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.


This week on Health Watch, we're talking about fluids and how your body eliminates them. Although urination is a part of daily life, when you have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, it can become a bother. Dr. Philippe Zimmern, a urologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says sometimes it can be more than a bother. It can affect your quality of life. When your sleep is disrupted, it can lead to daytime sleepiness, decreased work performance and even depression.

To avoid having to go to the bathroom during the night, Dr. Zimmern suggests not drinking after dinner or before bedtime. If you take a diuretic medication, take it in the morning or just after lunch so it won't still be affecting you at night.

Next: When stopping nighttime fluids doesn't help.

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^{May 2006}

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