Nocturia, or getting up frequently during the night to urinate, is a symptom. Besides aging, it has historically been attributed to a bladder or prostate concerns. Once considered a benign nuisance, nighttime urination is fast becoming recognized as a warning sign related with illness and increased mortality.
Nocturia affects up to 40 percent of the population. Often dismissed as a normal part of aging, epidemiologists or those who study disease statistics find otherwise. Nocturia affects both men and women. Statistical analysis in a European investigation across five countries found that 48.6 percent of men and 54.5 percent of women have to get up at least one time per night to urinate.