The Sleepless Duo Known as Diuretics and Insomnia

If you suffer from any sleep problems then you need to look at every thing you are eating, taking or drinking. One of the big ones that people don't seem to consider is the diuretic they may be taking to lose a little extra weight.

Diuretics and insomnia make for a sleepless combination. Insomnia is a condition where someone has trouble sleeping or staying asleep. It’s not a disease, but a sleep problem symptom caused by factors like stress, environmental or dietary changes and psychological issues. One other factor that can result in insomnia is the use of prescription meds like diuretics. An understanding of the connection between diuretics and insomnia will explain why the two constitute a recipe for a sleeping disaster.

Diuretics and Insomnia – Digging Deeper

In order to appreciate the connection between diuretics and insomnia, it’s important to learn exactly what diuretics are. These are substances that increase urinary output in individuals. They can form part of a physician’s prescription plan or they can simply be part of people’s daily dietary intake. Often, individuals consume items without realizing the diuretic effect that they have on their bodies – like drinking alcohol or coffee. In such situations, diuretics and insomnia soon make sleeping difficult.

Diuretics and insomnia don’t go together – not well anyway. As part of a particular prescription program, diuretics are given to minimize excess fluids buildup within the body. Congestive heart failure is one such condition where diuretics are utilized for treatment.

The aging process is accompanied by gradual weakening of the heart. As the heart continues to weaken, there’s corresponding fluid buildup inside the body. Diuretics stimulate kidneys to up urine output, which then drives down fluid accumulation in the body. This is the nasty consequence on sleep when using diuretics.

Diuretics And Insomnia – The Connection

Whether a person is on a diuretics prescription plan or uses substances that fall under the category of diuretics, the ultimate connection between diuretics and insomnia remains the same. The connection between diuretics and insomnia here is that urination frequency, specifically during the sleep hours, can significantly disrupt a person’s sleep patterns and give rise to insomnia.

Another usual side-effect of diuretics is the constant feelings of thirst. Thirst can be an additional contributor to a person’s sleeplessness. This in a way represents another indication of the unfavorable direct links between diuretics and insomnia.

When people put together diuretics and insomnia, the end-result is often the same – more sleepless nights and/or constant waking up throughout the night to go to the bathroom and urinate. Diuretics and insomnia pose an unhealthy combination as the use of the former can lead to the development of the latter.