How to Stop Wetting the Bed after Drinking Alcohol

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The best drinking habits and bedtime routines to avoid incontinence
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Waking up on soaked sheets as an adult might be upsetting and embarrassing, but wetting the bed when you’re drunk is more common than you think. Alcohol suppresses your antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which means your body produces excess urine when you’re drunk. The amount of liquid and caffeine you’ve had can irritate your bladder and contribute to the problem, too. Fortunately, you can stop peeing the bed while you’re drunk if you change a few habits. In this article, we’ll show you the best ways to navigate a night out and adjust your bedtime routine to stop bedwetting after drinking alcohol.

Things You Should Know

  • Cut back on caffeine before and while you’re drinking, and aim to stop drinking altogether about 2-3 hours before bed.
  • Use the bathroom several times before you go to bed and set an alarm for the middle of the night so you’re forced to get up to pee.
  • Talk to your doctor if you think you’re drinking too much or if you suspect there’s another underlying cause behind your bedwetting.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Changing Your Drinking Habits

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  1. Cut out caffeinated drinks when you’re drinking alcohol. Caffeine stimulates your bladder muscles and causes you to urinate more often. Steer clear of cocktails like rum and Cokes, vodka Red Bulls, espresso martinis, or other caffeinated beverages while you’re out. Try not to have a late night coffee or energy drink, either—they may make you feel less drunk, but they could lead to you wetting the bed. [1]
    • Resist caffeine or energy drinks before going out, too. Caffeine can stay in your body for up to 10 hours, and about half of it will still be in your system 6 hours after you drink. [2]
  2. Part of the reason you might be wetting the bed is that you’re consuming a lot of fluids. Instead of a 16  fl oz (470 mL) beer, try having a glass of wine or a short cocktail like a gin and tonic. The alcohol content is about the same, but there’s a lot less fluid to drink. If you’re still urinating in bed, cut back on your alcohol intake as a whole. [3]
    • For instance, if you typically enjoy 3 drinks before you feel drunk, cut back to 1 or 2. The less liquid and alcohol you consume, the less likely it is that you’ll pee during the night.
    • Pace yourself and take breaks between beverages. This gives your body time to metabolize all that fluid instead of letting it build up.
    • Drink responsibly if you’re using liquor as a low-liquid substitute. A shot of liquor is as strong as a whole can of beer or glass of wine.

    Tip: Keep track of the number of drinks you have per night to avoid binge drinking (defined as 5 drinks in one session for men, or 4 drinks for women). Binge drinking makes you more likely to wet the bed and is harmful to your health. Stick to 1 drink a day if you’re a woman or a man who’s over 65, or 2 drinks a day if you’re a man under the age of 65. [4]

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  3. “Blacking out” means you drank so much alcohol that you lose memories of the night. This increases your chances of wetting the bed dramatically since you’re less likely to feel the need to pee, wake up, and get out of bed to relieve yourself. To prevent a black out, sip on water between alcoholic beverages and stop drinking as soon as you feel intoxicated. Instead, drink water to stay hydrated . [5]
    • Even if you wake up while blacked out, your inhibitions may be lowered enough that you drunkenly decide not to get up to pee.
    • If you get blackout drunk often, it’s possible you may have a problem with alcohol. Talk to your doctor to find out if you may be drinking too much.
  4. Once you’re done drinking, it still takes a few hours to fully empty your bladder since your body keeps making urine. Give yourself at least 2-3 hours to pass all of your urine before you go to bed after a night of drinking. This reduces the risk of your bladder getting overly full while you’re sleeping. [6]
    • For instance, if you typically go to bed at 10:00 p.m., have a drink or 2 with dinner but stop drinking by 8:00 p.m.
    • If you don’t have a set bedtime, simply stay up an extra few hours after your last drink.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Emptying Your Bladder at Night

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  1. Pee frequently when you get home after drinking to empty your bladder as much as possible before bed. Go before you start getting ready for bed , then again right before you climb under the covers. This allows you to fall asleep with a completely empty bladder. [7]
    • You probably already pee before bed, but it’s possible your bladder isn’t totally empty after just one bathroom visit.
    • For example, you might pee, wash your face, brush your teeth, put on your pajamas, and pee once again right before turning out the lights.
  2. After you’ve been drinking, it’s highly likely that your body will continue to produce a lot of urine once you’re in bed. Since you’re less likely to wake up if you’re drunk, set your alarm for 2-4 hours after you go to bed. Getting up during the night to pee can help you limit your risk of wetting the bed. [8]
    • Try different times to see what works for you. For instance, you might find that getting up about halfway through the night is best for your body.

    Tip: If you’re using this technique often, vary the time you set your alarm for so you don’t get used to waking up at this time to urinate. Otherwise, your body may continue to wake up in the middle of the night even when you didn’t set the alarm. [9]

  3. Use protective underwear or bed liners until you find what works for you. It may take some trial and error to determine which changes help you stop peeing the bed. During this time, you may still have some accidents. While this is frustrating, you don’t have to wake up to wet sheets. Use protective briefs or bed liners when you go to bed drunk until you feel sure you won't wet the bed. [10]
    • If you want an easy option, use a protective underwear liner that you can stick in your underwear.
    • For extra protection, look for disposable briefs or boxers that collect your urine.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Talking to Your Doctor

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  1. Wetting the bed while you’re drunk doesn’t mean you necessarily have a problem with alcohol (especially if it only happens occasionally), but you may still be engaging in unhealthy behavior. Talk to your doctor if you’re wetting the bed often or are concerned about your drinking. They can help you figure out if you may need to cut back on alcohol or get treatment for alcoholism. [11]
    • If you’re not sure what to say, just ask “I think I’ve been drinking too much lately. What options do I have to change my habits?”
    • Don’t feel embarrassed about discussing bedwetting with your doctor. It’s common to wet the bed when you’re drunk, and they’re used to discussing this type of issue.
  2. While your bedwetting may be caused by drinking, some medications can increase your risk of wetting the bed after a few drinks. Talk to your doctor if you suspect you might be taking a medication that’s triggering bedwetting while you’re drunk. [12] You may be more likely to wet the bed if you’re taking the following medications:
    • Insomnia treatments like benzodiazepines
    • Psychiatric medications like clozapine, thioridazine, or risperidone
    • Hypnotics or sedatives prescribed for sleeping disorders

    Warning: Continue to take you prescribed medications unless your doctor instructs you to stop.

  3. Some medical conditions can make you more likely to wet the bed, especially when you’re drunk. If this is the case for you, you’ll likely need to treat your underlying condition to stop peeing the bed. Your doctor will perform a physical exam and urine test to find the source of the problem. [13] Visit your doctor if any of the following apply to you:
    • You’re wetting the bed on nights you don’t drink.
    • You’re a man over the age of 65 who is suddenly wetting the bed after drinking.
    • You have the symptoms of diabetes .
    • You’re snoring and have disruptive sleep, which can be a sign of sleep apnea.
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      Warnings

      • In addition to making you wet the bed, excessive alcohol consumption is also harmful to your health. It’s best to limit yourself to 1-2 drinks per day and to avoid binge drinking. [16]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/adults-booze-bedwetting-heres-happens/
      2. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15496-caffeine-tips-for-breaking-the-habit
      3. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/adults-booze-bedwetting-heres-happens/
      4. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551
      5. ↑ https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/blackouts
      6. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/15533-frequent-urination
      7. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bed-wetting/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20366711
      8. ↑ https://nafc.org/adult-bedwetting/
      9. ↑ https://www.nafc.org/adult-bedwetting
      1. ↑ https://www.nafc.org/adult-bedwetting
      2. ↑ https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-unhealthy-alcohol-use
      3. ↑ https://www.nafc.org/adult-bedwetting
      4. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-incontinence/expert-answers/adult-bed-wetting/faq-20058456
      5. ↑ https://nafc.org/adult-bedwetting/
      6. ↑ https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/womens-health-articles/kegels-the-30-second-exercise-that-can-improve-incontinence-and-sex
      7. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551

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