Waking up occasionally to use the bathroom at night is normal, but if it happens frequently, it could be a sign of an underlying heart condition, according to research.

The medical term for needing to urinate multiple times at night is nocturia. While it is commonly associated with conditions like diabetes and an enlarged prostate, it may also be linked to certain heart diseases, particularly heart failure—a condition where the heart struggles to pump blood efficiently throughout the body.

The Connection Between Nocturia and Heart Health

According to the NHS, heart failure (also called congestive heart failure) doesn’t mean the heart has stopped working but rather that it requires additional support to function properly. It is a chronic condition that worsens over time and can affect people of all ages.

A study conducted in Japan involving 1,882 participants found that 1,295 of them needed to urinate at least once per night. Researchers discovered that these individuals had a 40% higher risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).