WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new awareness campaign called ‘Sleep Normal’ launched Monday to raise awareness of nocturia, an underdiagnosed, treatable, medical condition that forces a person to wake more than once a night to urinate. Most people have never heard of nocturia and think it is a normal part of aging, despite the negative impact interrupted sleep can have on health. The ‘Sleep Normal’ campaign urges people to talk with their doctors about addressing frequent nighttime urination.
‘Sleep Normal’ is a collaboration between Avadel Pharmaceuticals and the recently formed Nocturia Council, which includes American Alliance for Healthy Sleep, Caregiver Action Network, HealthyWomen, Men’s Health Education Council, Men’s Health Network, Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, National Association for Continence, National Sleep Foundation, Simon Foundation for Continence and ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer.
This playful campaign engages people with clever puns and stark neon lights to play off a nightlife motif. The campaign centers on the ‘Sleep Normal’ website, which provides information on nocturia and its impact on sleep, and a Sleep Whizzz quiz to test knowledge on the condition.
“Although it is a serious issue affecting the sleep and well-being of millions of Americans, nocturia is still relatively unknown to the public,” says Susann Varano, M.D., a Yale University trained physician, double board certified in Geriatrics and Internal Medicine, and medical consultant to the Nocturia Council. “We are pleased to collaborate and provide guidance on such an important issue. We hope the Sleep Normal campaign will give patients the confidence they need to have open and honest conversations with their doctors about nocturia.”
Nocturia affects nearly 50 million Americans1,2 and is a leading cause of sleep disruption.3,4 Waking up two or more times each night to go to the bathroom is not normal and can lead to nighttime falls,5,6 daytime drowsiness and irritability.7 Nocturia leads to insufficient or low-quality sleep, which can lead to impaired cognitive and physical function, especially if the first four hours are not restful.8 This in turn can lead to an increased risk of being in a traffic accident,9 depression,10,11 cardiovascular disease,12 obesity,13 Type 2 diabetes,14 colon cancer15 and even death in older men.16
The most common cause of nocturia is a condition called nocturnal polyuria, which happens when the kidneys produce too much urine at night,17 however, only 18 percent of doctors treat nocturia with therapies that address this issue.18
“Nocturia is not a well-known condition even though it affects so many people,” says Kathleen C. Kobashi, M.D., Department of Urology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle. “The Sleep Normal campaign is exciting because it seeks to reduce the stigma around discussing urinary habits. I would encourage anyone who is losing sleep because of nocturia to speak with their doctor. There is no need to suffer in silence when treatment options are available.”
Talking to your doctor is the first step to addressing frequent nighttime urination and may help you sleep normal. Visit www.sleepnormal.com to learn more about nocturia.
Media Contact:
Sara Dunn, JPA Health Communications
sdunn@jpa.com
Susann Varano, M.D., and Kathleen C. Kobashi, M.D., are consultants for Avadel Pharmaceuticals.
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2 Population distribution by age. Kaiser Family Foundation website. https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/distribution-by-age. Accessed December 16, 2017.
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7 Data on file (Harris Poll).
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