Sitting down to watch the latest TV drama may seem like the perfect way to relax, but researchers have found that people who spend long periods in front of the box are more likely to pee several times a night.
Write in the journal Neurourology and Urodynamicsresearchers in China report how they analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the US, focusing on responses collected from 2011 to 2016.
The team found that 32% of the 13,294 participants, aged 20 and over, reported experiencing nocturia, the need to wake up and urinate two or more times a night.
After taking into account factors such as age, sex, body mass index, ethnicity, level of education and whether or not individuals had diabetes, the researchers found that the risk of experiencing nocturia was 48% higher in those who spent five or more hours watching TV or videos per day than those who watched less than an hour.
“To our understanding, this study represents the first exploration of the correlation between TV and/or video viewing time and nocturia,” the researchers write.
The team says the mechanism by which prolonged TV viewing increases the risk of nocturia is poorly understood.
However, they point to a number of possible explanations for the association, noting that long sessions of TV viewing were associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is a risk factor for nocturia, while sedentary behavior was associated with fluid retention in the legs which can also contribute.
“Furthermore, TV viewing usually coincides with alcohol consumption, which leads to increased fluid intake,” they write, adding that prolonged TV viewing can lead to neurological disorders that can cause bladder dysfunction, among other things, and that TV viewing increases sleep duration or quality. “And a decrease in sleep quality is closely linked to experiencing nocturia,” they write.
The study has limitations, including that it cannot prove cause and effect, and it relied on self-reported data, including for TV viewing habits.
Despite this, the team says healthcare professionals should tell patients about the link. “The increasing public awareness of this potential health risk encourages individuals to be more mindful of their TV and/or video time,” they write.
