Night time tips for managing incontinence

As we age, our sleep patterns can change, and for those of us experiencing night time incontinence, a good night's sleep can become a real challenge. We’ve put together a few top tips to give you some peace of mind and turn the nightmare of bedtime incontinence into a dream come true. 

A consistent nighttime routine can work wonders for preparing your mind and body for sleep. This one might seem obvious, but if you can, hit the toilet and try to empty your bladder or have a number two before heading to bed; you’ll make it less likely that you need to go in the night. Try to get this going at roughly the same time every night so that your body gets used to it. 

Building a night time routine has advantages that go beyond incontinence, including: 

• Improved quality of sleep
• Easier mornings
• More efficient brain function throughout the day

Of course, as we know, incontinence doesn’t quite follow a routine, if it did, we wouldn’t be here. Luckily, there are some great products that can help.

If you’re finding that your usual adult nappies or disposable pants aren’t quite doing the trick, you might want to bolster your arsenal with some products that are geared specifically toward helping at bed time:  

• Disposable bed pads
• Washable bed pads
• Waterproof duvets & duvet protection
• Waterproof pillows & pillow protection
• Waterproof mattress protectors
• Waterproof mattresses
• Mattress cleaning products

Vivactive are the incontinence brand of choice if you’re looking to balance quality and cost. They’re industry leaders that offer exceptional quality incontinence items at a fraction of the cost of other brands. Their online only model means they can pass on savings on to you, as well as provide fantastic customer service and keep you stocked up without any need to head to the supermarket. 

As someone experiencing incontinence, avoiding caffeine altogether may be your best bet here as it’s been linked to bladder problems. But, if you do feel like you need a cup of tea or coffee to get you through the day, just be sure not to drink any before bed. Not only will it make getting to sleep more difficult, it can increase your risk of having an accident in bed. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it increases urine output. 

You might be wondering why we’ve mentioned tea in the same breath as coffee, well, unfortunately your standard black tea contains a fair amount of caffeine too.

Standard cup of coffee: 95mg of caffeine. 

Standard cup of tea: 26mg of caffeine.

It might not seem like much, but if you’re struggling, it’s probably not worth the risk of an increased need to pee during the night. 

Choosing a product that’s the correct size and fits well is one of the most overlooked incontinence challenges. An improperly fitted product means you're more likely to experience a leak or skin irritation, both of which could disrupt your sleep. 

A comfortable product with strong absorbency will offer maximum protection and minimise discomfort during the night, so you can rest easy knowing that you’ll remain clean and dry. Vivactive products excel here, ensuring a perfect fit for all kinds of body types, and allowing a snug yet flexible fit. Products such as the Vivactive Pants Night Maxi, feature specially designed anti-leak cuffs, to give you twice the protection even when lying down.