Urination frequency varies with age, and a consultant urologist has outlined what is considered normal for each stage of life. Hamid Abboudi, consultant urologist at New Victoria Hospital, explains that while individual habits differ, age is a major factor influencing how often people need to go.
Normal Frequency by Age Group
According to Abboudi, young children may urinate 8 to 14 times a day, decreasing to 6-12 times for older children. Teenagers typically urinate 4-6 times a day, though this can increase during puberty due to hormonal imbalances. For most adults under 60, it is normal to urinate 5-8 times during the day and once at night, with women averaging 5.6 times per day compared to men's 4.8.
Older adults may urinate up to 10 times a day as kidney function declines and bladder muscles weaken. The NHS notes that nocturia, or nighttime urination, is more common in elderly people, who may get up twice a night due to reduced antidiuretic hormone (ADH) regulating water in the body.
Causes of Increased Frequency
Tea, coffee, alcohol, and fizzy drinks can cause the bladder to become overactive or over twitchy, leading to more frequent urination. Medical conditions such as UTIs, prostate or bladder cancer, multiple sclerosis, and strokes can also impact frequency, as can gender and pregnancy.
For women, pregnancy can trigger increased frequency due to pressure on the uterus, and UTIs are common causes of increased urinary frequency. Older adults are often on diuretics for various conditions, which increases trips to the toilet. In men, an enlarged prostate gland puts pressure on the bladder and increases urination frequency.
Red Flag Symptoms
Abboudi recommends seeking medical advice if you experience blood in the urine, any change to your usual habit, or wake up to pee more than once each night. He adds that cigarette smokers should be extra vigilant about changes in pattern, as they are at increased risk of bladder cancer.
