If you’re suffering from a UTI infection, your discomfort, especially during the evening, can adversely affect your sleep quality.
The initial matter you need to address when trying to sleep with UTI discomfort is reducing the discomfort itself. Once you’ve done this, you can look at other ways to sleep without waking up multiple times during the night in pain.
Throughout this guide, I will not only help you with tips for getting a better night’s sleep when being tormented with UTI discomfort. I will also tell you how to decrease your symptoms in your daily activities.
What is a UTI?
A UTI, or urinary tract infection, is a contamination of the urinary flow in the bladder and urethra.
This affliction is more common in females than males and is usually caused when bacteria enter the urinary tract.
UTIs are not uncommon, but this doesn’t make them any less irritating. In many people, they can cause a lot of pain and discomfort and lead to other medical conditions such as kidney infections and cystitis.
UTI Symptoms
Sometimes, a person experiencing a UTI may have little or no symptoms. However, in the most common cases, signs are visible. These can be minor or more severe in extreme cases, and they will usually include one or more of the following:
- A change in the color of urine, darker, sometimes red in appearance.
- A sudden need to use the toilet but unable to go.
- Pain in the pelvic region (usually seen in females).
- Strong smelling urine.
- Cloudy urine.
- Needing the toilet more often than usual, but only being able to pass a small amount or none.
- Burning sensation when urinating.
Suppose you are experiencing any of the above symptoms. In that case, you must speak to your doctor and request tests, as in many cases, the above symptoms can be signs of other conditions, and UTIs can end up being overlooked, especially in the case of the elderly.
There are three different kinds of UTI, and each one has its specific symptoms, which can make diagnosis easier:
1. Urethra
- Burning sensation when passing urine
- Unusual Discharge
2. Kidneys
- Lower back pain
- Sharp or dull ache in your sides
- Vomiting
- Shaking
- Chills
- Fever
- Nausea
3. Bladder
- Change in urine color, often dark, red, or cloudy
- Abdominal pain
- Discomfort while urinating
- Pelvic pain
You must receive treatment for any of the above urinary tract infections to prevent frequent recurrence and avoid resilience to antibiotics.
Tips For Sleeping Comfortably With UTI Pain
Getting a restful night’s sleep is detrimental to our health. If you’re suffering from any affliction, sleep is vital to the healing process and recovery. Therefore, if your condition is keeping you up at night or preventing you from falling asleep, it can mean that your recovery process takes longer than necessary.
Before trying to sleep, the first thing you should be looking at is decreasing your UTI discomfort. Once this has been achieved, you can start thinking about keeping your symptoms at bay through the night.
The following steps can be used to prevent your symptoms in bed and throughout the day.
1. Stay Hydrated
When experiencing any UTI, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water daily helps flush out your infection faster.
However, it’s important to remember that drinking a lot in the hours leading up to your bedtime can result in you waking up a lot at night and needing to use the bathroom.
Therefore, drinking around two liters of water throughout the day is recommended. However, reduce your fluid intake in the evening to avoid disrupting sleep.
2. Environment
Before going to bed, ensuring your bedroom or sleeping environment is ideal is beneficial. This can be regarding the quality of your pillow and mattress and making sure what you wear to bed is loose fitting and isn’t restricting, especially around your abdominal region.
3. Sleeping Position
If you’re experiencing kidney pain with your UTI, such as in your lower back and/or sides, you must ensure your sleeping position supports the afflicted area. Sleeping with a pillow under your back or down your side can help to support your body and keep the spine aligned.
Placing a pillow underneath your knees and lying flat on your back is another position that can relieve UTI discomfort. During the night, it creates a bend in the abdomen, which can help reduce cramping and lower back pain.
4. Medication
If your UTI symptoms are causing you a lot of sleep disruption, then your physician may recommend medication to reduce your pain and muscle spasms. They may also suggest a medicine that will reduce your bathroom frequency, which will help to prevent you from waking up to urinate through the night.
Also, if your UTI is causing a fever, then over-the-counter pain relief can help.
5. A Warm Bath
A warm bath can offer a lot of comforts and reduce symptoms of a urinary tract infection, such as cramping, itching, and muscle aches.
Another way to do this is by using a sitz bath. These can be placed on your toilet for you to sit in. Sitz baths are the preferred aids for older people with UTIs or anyone struggling with mobility getting in and out of the bath.
Some physicians recommend adding baking soda to your bath water to reduce bacteria and relieve further pain.
6. A Hot Water Bottle
Similarly to a warm bath, a hot water bottle can help relieve pain in the affected area while falling asleep.
While heat pads can have the same effect, they are only recommended for use while the person is awake. Sleeping with them plugged in overnight is not advisable.
Be sure to make sure your hot water bottle is in date and safe condition.
7. Food And Drink
There are particular food and drink items that can massively impact the severity of a UTI by increasing bacteria, intensifying pain, or causing irritation; these include:
- Citrus fruit
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Soda
- Chocolate
- Spicy foods
- Tomatoes
- Pineapple
- Dairy
- Refined sugar
- Sweetener
Alcohol and Caffeine are two of the most significant contributors to the worsening of any urinary tract infection. They are both stimulants and can put extra pressure on your kidneys. They can also cause your other organs to be overworked, spreading the infection around the body.
One of the most recommended things to drink with a UTI is herbal tea and plenty of water.
A Final Analysis
People of all ages can find themselves on the wrong side of a UTI, and over 50% of females will get at least one throughout their life.
While some people may experience mild symptoms, with others, it can severely affect their day-to-day lives. It can negatively impact their sleep and cause pain, discomfort, and stress.
Suppose you have already seen your doctor and are waiting for your medicine to get to work. In that case, trying out the methods I have discussed here can drastically improve your symptoms, relieve pain, and make sleeping with a UTI much more manageable.
Hot water bottles, pillow supports, and loose clothing will mean that you can sleep much easier. It relieves the pressure on the affected areas, such as the lower back, pelvic region, and abdomen.
Food that is high in Vitamin C, such as tomatoes and oranges, should be cut down on during a UTI flare-up, as well as any other acidic fruits, such as pineapple and grapefruit. This is because although Vitamin C can help prevent a UTI from occurring, it can cause increased pain and discomfort in the presence of an infection.
Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water is pivotal, not only while suffering from a UTI but in general life. Water helps to flush out toxins from the body while will lessen your chances of getting a UTI in the future.
Lastly, it’s important to note that antibiotics will be needed in most urinary tract infections. Still, these must be prescribed by your doctor and taken correctly to avoid resistance in the future.
