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How often do you have to get out of bed at night to hike to the bathroom? This scenario is very familiar to men past a certain age, but many women also find they need to urinate at least once during the night. They may have trouble getting back to sleep. People taking diuretic blood pressure pills may not be able to change the number of times they get up very much. Others could, though. Some readers have found a home remedy that helps them sleep through the night instead of getting up numerous times. They simply munch a handful of raisins.
Can Raisins Reduce Nighttime Urination?
Q. I have read the comments on raisins and nighttime urination. I am a 68-year-old man in good health, but I have been getting up two or three times a night to pee.
I have now had three of the best nights of sleep I’ve had in several years. I take about 15 raisins an hour before bed. I chew them well and that’s it; I sleep through the night. Last night I didn’t get up at all. It was wonderful.
Others have talked about weight gain from the raisins. I doubt 10 to 15 raisins will make much of a difference. This whole thing sounds crazy, but I am very encouraged.
Readers Are Enthusiastic about Raisins:
A. Three years ago we heard from a reader that eating raisins before bedtime reduced nighttime urination. Since then we have heard from more than 100 others who have tried this remedy. Many found it helpful, though others got no relief. We have no idea why it might work to help someone sleep through the night.
What are the downsides? As you mentioned, raisins have calories. Simply adding raisins to the diet without cutting back on anything else could eventually lead to extra pounds. One other problem: raisins are sweet. Be sure to brush your teeth after eating them so that the sugars from sticky raisins don’t erode your tooth enamel.
Another reader responded to this idea.
Raisins Prevent Bathroom Trips Overnight:
Q. I read about eating raisins to keep from getting up during the night for trips to the bathroom. I eat 1/4 cup of raisins a few hours before retiring and it works for me.
I used to twist and turn half of the night. Since I started eating raisins, I now fall asleep easier and sleep through the night. Instead of getting 4 1/2 to 5 hours of sleep, I now get 7 or 8 hours a night.
A. We are delighted to hear that you have benefited from this home remedy. Brush your teeth after munching the raisins so they don’t contribute to tooth decay.
Will Beet Soup Keep You in Bed?
We learned about this interesting approach from readers rather than from the medical literature. Others have reported a similar benefit from eating beets or beet soup in the evening.
People who would like to learn more about such innovative but unproven options for common problems such as aches, pains, itches, coughs, cramps, indigestion, hiccups or gout may be interested in our eGuide to Favorite Home Remedies. If you have a favorite remedy, especially one that helps you sleep through the night, please tell us about it in a comment.
Marilyn
I tried the raisin trick last night, and it worked! I slept pretty well for once! I ate about 15 raisins.
Robert
Funny, but I discovered this a few days ago. I started buying raisins again because I enjoyed them but I found that after I eat them I get very tired for awhile. I have problems sleeping at night, and I started thinking that if I ate these before bedtime it might help me sleep. I read the label on the raison bag wondering about how much sugar they have, and it said has a lot of natural sugar but no sugar added. I believe this could help my sleep.
Rebecca
If I wake up in the night and can’t get back to sleep, something that works every time for me is milk. I get up and drink eight or more ounces, usually 2%. Whole milk works even better. (I use minimal lighting, usually only from the refrigerator.) I suspect that drinking it before bed would help too.
Gayle
I will definitely try eating raisins before bed. Also I will, as always, brush my teeth before going to bed. I hope it works for me. I always use golden raisins but if it doesn’t work I will try it again with dark raisins. Thanks for the article.
Carolyn
Will other kinds of dried fruit work? I don’t like plain raisins though I do eat them in other foods.
Patricia
Regular raisins (don’t have to be golden) DO absolutely help reduce the late-night “pee” episodes (at least for me). Problem is…I hate raisins. They are fattening, have a lot (A LOT) of sugar in them, and you most definitely need to brush your teeth after eating them SO I end up NOT eating them to help my peeing. BUMMER. Wish there was a supplement you could take before bed that was pure raisins.
Michael
Since figuring out at the age of 74 or so a few years ago that getting up at night to urinate prevents kidney stone formation (for me, it appears), I shudder at advice like this not to get up at night. I also feel the same way about ads on tv and radio about supplements for men to avoid getting up at night!
Drink water before going to bed, get up and urinate several times, drink more water during the night!
Cynthia
Durham
I tried the gin soaked raisins successfully, but I gained a lot of weight. When I started counting calories, I found out ¼ cup of raisins is ~130 calories. That adds up to over a pound a month of weight gain. Be sure to find other calories as an offset.
MARCEL
Montréal,QC,CANADA
Are dried raisins OK?
d. bann
florida
now what i’d like is food to eat enstead of blood pressure pills
John
Wilson, NC
What type of raisons should you use? Golden or regular?
Peter
California
Does it make a difference what kind of raisins? Dark or golden?
Janice
North Carolina
Don’t forget to brush your teeth. Raisins are full of sticky sweetness.