The reason why we see commercials for adult diapers is that it is not only children who wet their beds in their sleep. Bed wetting is quite common among teenagers and adults too, and is called adult nocturnal enuresis. Also called nighttime incontinence, bedwetting involves involuntarily urinating in one’s sleep. Some sufferers have primary nocturnal enuresis – that is they wet their bed every night. The others have secondary nocturnal enuresis and wet their beds just a couple of times a year. Nocturnal enuresis is not an ailment but a symptom of other possible ailments like diabetes, kidney problems, epilepsy, sickle cell anemia, constipation, bladder problems or a urinary tract infection. Inadequate anti-diuretic hormone, which reduces the amount of urine produced by the kidneys, is also a possible reason for adult bed-wetting. Other than these, sleeping disorders, allergies, trauma or other psychological problems are also reasons why an adult may wet his or her bed. However, in the case of elderly people, simple loss of elasticity in the bladder causes involuntary bed-wetting.
There are medications available that reduce the amount of urine that is produced in the night. However, these have side effects like nausea, stuffy nose, and sinusitis, to name a few. Another drawback is that they work only so long as one continues the medication. As soon as the medication is stopped, the sufferer starts wetting the bed again. There are also some simple home remedies and lifestyle measures that can control bed wetting to a great extent. The sufferer should also make sure that he is not constipated, by eating fibrous foods like fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables. Parsley, cinnamon bark, banana, milk, and almonds are some foods that should be included in the diet. It’s also beneficial to avoid sugary, oily, and processed foods.
It’s advisable not to drink too much liquid or water before going to bed. Also make sure you empty your bladder before going to sleep. One remedy that is said to control bed wetting to a great extent is drinking a glass of cranberry juice an hour before going to bed. Drinking herbal teas like oak bark, wormwood, bearberry, and horsetail is also supposed to be helpful in controlling a bed-wetting problem. It would also help if you ate one teaspoon of raisins and two teaspoons of walnut halves regularly as these are high in fiber. Finally, exercises to strengthen the bladder muscles are also helpful. Postpone urination by a few minutes during the day. Do this regularly to increase bladder control. This retention exercise will also increase the capacity of the bladder. Also, if a person is overweight, he must lose weight to avoid unnecessary stress on the pelvic region.