[Guest]

I am writing my far who has many years suffered from insomnia. He has NO trouble GOING TO SLEEP, he wakens around 2 am cannot GET BACK to sleep. He is 77 years old, in excellent health, very fit, eats well, retired, no stress, no depression He has tried literally everything to no avail. Including Sonata, is supposed to help middle of night wakings, since it is shorter acting. He claims he wakens because he has to go to bathroom; doctors have given him medications to prolong urge y have not helped. He has had some procedures done on his prostate to also try to alleviate problem. He is at his w end, I'm sure doesn't help problem. He has now decided to discontinue all medications has seen only minimal improvement, if any. Is re anything to help?? Thank r time.

[Guest]

Fully evaluating the cause of his nocuria (needing to get up to urinate) may go along way in helping this. Avoiding all caffeine after very early morning may be of benefit. Decreasing fluids at night might help. Causes of nocturia include prostate problems, heart failure, sleep apnea can cause nocturia. The conditions section has a section on sleep hygiene which might help. Depending on the condition of his prostate, an antidepressant which can cause some urinary retention and some sleep promoting activity might help such as elavil.