Inadequate sleep tied to higher incidence of urgent urinary incontinence

Urgent urinary incontinence appears to occur more frequently among people with insufficient sleep than among those with moderate sleep duration, according to a study.

The analysis was based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey of a total of 6,838 female participants at least 20 years of age in the period of 2007–2018.

Multivariable logistic regression models showed that relative to a short sleep duration (<6 hours), other sleep duration categories showed no significant association with total urinary incontinence, stress urinary incontinence, as well as mixed urinary incontinence.  

Compared with sleep duration <6 hours, moderate sleep duration (6–8 hours) was associated with lower odds of urgent urinary incontinence (odds ratio [OR], 0.764, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.620–0.944; p=0.013).

Meanwhile, inadequate sleep (<6 hours) was associated with 1.3-fold greater odds of urgent urinary incontinence (OR, 1.308, 95 percent CI, 1.060–1.614; p=0.013) compared with moderate sleep duration (6-8 hours).

The said associations were potentially modified by the family income-to-poverty ratio.

More studies are needed to establish the association between sleep duration and urinary incontinence and guide clinical prevention and treatment.