Frequent Night Trips to Bathroom Is Stifling Economy; Find Out Why?

Washington: Taking multiple trips to the bathroom is costing the economy world over including India billions of dollars.

According to researchers of RAND Europe (Research ANd Development), a non-profit research body, waking up more than twice at night is not only having a detrimental impact on a person’s well-being, it is hampering productivity at work and is costing the countries a lot of money.

The United States, for example, is losing an estimated US$44.4 billion a year as over 2.5 crore people there are suffering from Nocturia, the research said, the findings of which have been picked up by various media outlets in India.

The effects of Nocturia are prevalent the world over and the economic losses linked with it are estimated to be about US$13.7 billion in Japan, US$8.4 billion in Germany, US$5.9 billion in the UK, and about US$3 billion in Spain and Australia.

What is Nocturia? 

Nocturia is a condition that impacts a person’s lower urinary tract, causing them to wake up in the night needing to urinate. It’s often caused by high fluid intake, sleep disorders, or bladder obstruction.

People suffering from Nocturia usually tend to remain low, affecting their ability to function during the day. They tend to lose on an average of seven more working days a year due to absenteeism and presenteeism than a person who does not suffer from it.

Such people report lower life satisfaction and work engagement, according to the data collected through two large linked employer-employee survey.

The research carried out by RAND Europe, a non-partisan research group, was funded by and prepared for Ferring Pharmaceuticals, a Swiss-based firm with annual revenue of more than US$2 billion.

Most people living with Nocturia develop it when they’re older than 60, but it can happen at any age. It can be treated by changing certain behaviour – such as reducing intake of caffeine and alcohol, taking afternoon naps, or wearing compression stockings.