Going To The Toilet At Night Could Be A Sign Of High Blood Pressure

Spend more time running to the loo and sitting on it than lying down in bed each night? Researchers from the Division of Hypertension in Tohoku Rosai Hospital, Japan have this week released the findings of a study to evaluate the association between high blood pressure and nocturia - a condition that causes frequent trips to the toilet at night.

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The scientists examined 3,749 test subjects by measuring their blood pressure and recording their bathroom visits using questionnaires.

In the study, nocturia: the condition which wakes you up during the night because you need to pee, was defined as one or more trips to the toilet per night.

When they analysed the results scientists found that nocturia was linked to a 40 per cent greater chance of hypertension (or high blood pressure).

Put simply: the more visits to the toilet, the greater the risk of hypertension.

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"Our study indicates that if you need to urinate in the night ... you may have elevated blood pressure and/or excess fluid in your body," scientist Satoshi Konno who co-authored the study said in a statement.

The scientists were quick to point out that the findings did not "prove a causal relationship between nocturia and hypertension."

But they did list a variety of factors that explained the link, including lifestyle, salt intake, ethnicity and genetic background.

The study authors also noted that they only observed Japanese adults, who are more likely to be salt sensitive than people from other ethnic backgrounds, "meaning that their blood pressure rises more when salt is consumed," they explained.

"Taken together, these two factors mean that people in Japan are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure."

The analysts hope to research further to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between peeing at night and high blood pressure.

They advised those who were worried about the condition to ask their doctor to check their blood pressure and salt intake.

Topics: Life News, Real, Health

Amelia Jones

Amelia is a freelance journalist and editor specialising in beauty, health, fitness and lifestyle. She has previously worked for titles including Women's Health, Cosmopolitan, Stylist, Red and the Mail on Sunday.

@ameliajeanjones