Over 60% of Men Aged 40+ Suffer from Nocturia; Doctors Warn of Fall Risk at Night

(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 8, Reporter Chen Jieling) The Taiwan Urological Association released a survey showing that 66% of men over 40 in Taiwan have symptoms of nocturia, meaning 2 out of every 3 men are affected. Doctors urge not to ignore nocturia, as frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom increase the risk of falls, and severe cases may even raise the risk of death.

The survey was conducted from February 11 to March 12, aiming to understand the situation of mature men over 40 troubled by nocturia in Taiwan, examine public awareness of the disease and reasons for not seeking medical help, and serve as a basis for future health education to improve the quality of life in an aging society. The effective sample size was 1,072, with a sampling error of plus or minus 3% at a 95% confidence level.

The survey shows that approximately 66% of men over 40 in Taiwan have nocturia symptoms. Xue Youren, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Urological Association, analyzed in a recent press release that nocturia is defined as waking up to urinate two or more times during sleep. People over 40 should start paying attention to nocturia, which is particularly common in men over 50. As the domestic elderly population grows year by year, the number of people affected by nocturia is expected to increase.

According to the survey, an estimated 4.35 million men suffer from nocturia, with over 40% making multiple trips to the bathroom during their main sleep period. In the short term, 40% of men still feel tired after waking up, and 20% experience physical discomfort such as dizziness. Medium-term effects extend to emotional disorders (29%), decreased concentration (27%), and reduced willingness to go out (24%). Long-term effects include up to 40% of men feeling their sexual function is affected.

Furthermore, Xue noted that even though individuals are troubled by nocturia during their main sleep time, over half have endured it for more than two years, and over 70% have never sought medical attention. The feeling of being able to endure it is the main common reason for men not seeking medical help, followed by not knowing it can be treated, thinking that going to the hospital takes too long, believing that health supplements, over-the-counter drugs, or traditional Chinese medicine can improve the condition, or feeling embarrassed because the nurses are female.

Xue calls on men over 40 to establish three correct understandings: nocturia is not simply a phenomenon of aging; being able to endure it does not mean it is harmless; nocturia is a symptom that can be evaluated and treated, and people are encouraged to visit nearby clinics for convenience and time-saving; the causes of nocturia are diverse, so do not mask the symptoms and delay the true cause; never self-medicate without a doctor's diagnosis.

Nocturnal polyuria is one of the important causes of nocturia, often related to insufficient secretion of antidiuretic hormone by the brain during sleep, which prevents the kidneys from effectively concentrating urine, leading to an abnormal increase in nighttime urine volume. Meng En, Chairman of the Taiwan Association for Incontinence Control, warned that for middle-aged and elderly people, if left untreated, frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom also increase the risk of falls and fractures, and severe cases may increase the risk of death. (Editor: Wu Surou) 1150608