[Max]

Dear All, I am a 58 year old man recently diagnosed with an enlarged prostrate, all very annoying and frankly rather embarrassing. One problem caused by this is the frequent need to urinate. During the day this isn’t too much of a problem but at night it means I often need the toilet every 1.5 hours. My sleep is therefore broken up and getting back to sleep after using the toilet is probably the greatest problem. Wonder if anyone has had similar experiences ? and any ideas ? Anxiety has kicked in which adds to the problem.
I am following the insomnia coach ideas which make sense. I have talked to other men / friends and this is seemingly a common problem which is not talked about much. My GP / consultant has helped with the medical problem but not the sleep one.
Any thoughts / common experiences much appreciated.
Max

[hiker]

Hi Max, I am a 72 year-old man and can relate to the prostate thing. All I can do is relate to how I have handled it. You may have already addressed the strictly medical part, so I’ll try to keep it short.

Kegel sp? exercises can help control the urge to urinate during the day. Best accomplished when you do have access to a toilet but can elect not to rush to it at every slight urge. Watching the amount of liquids you drink, without abstaining to the point of dehydration. Getting a referral to a urologist, taking any prescribed prostate medication, getting PSA checked, etc. Exploring whether any emotional issues play a part, as frequent urination can be a sign of anxiety.

While most posts on this site will not address the prostate issue, a lot will address the accompanying anxiety about not getting back to sleep. This latter issue is the key. We might wake up because need to use toilet, or some other medical issue, or from job or family stress, or whatever. Or we just wake up, who knows why. What really drives insomnia is thoughts taking centerstage. What helps me most here—and it doesn’t work every night—is when I can mentally step back and watch the anxious thoughts barreling through my head. Instead of being overwhelmed by them.

I have made progress with mindfulness meditation (e.g. mindfulness northwest.com; palousemindfulness.com are a couple of free websites). Martin’s materials and course emphasize how thoughts can drive insomnia. And reading other posts can help. I think you will see that sleep anxiety is the common denominator most of us are dealing with. So much so that whatever might initially trigger insomnia, sleep anxiety alone can keep it going.

Take care, you are not alone here.

[Martin Reed]

Do you find yourself trying to make sleep happen when you wake at night or are you otherwise putting pressure on yourself to fall back to sleep? Does that approach feel workable to you?

When difficult thoughts and feelings (such as anxiety) show up, do you allow them to exist or do you find yourself engaging in a battle with them as you try to fight them (or avoid them)? Does that approach feel workable to you?

—

If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[Author]

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