9 Effective Natural Remedies for Bedwetting in Children and Adults

Key takeaways:

• Bedwetting can affect people of any age as a result of stress, developmental delay, sleeping disorders, urinary tract infections, vitamin D deficiency, or weak pelvic floor muscles.
• In some cases, bedwetting can be well managed with behavioral modifications, natural medicine, and herbs, but in other cases, it requires medical intervention.
• Some effective natural remedies for bedwetting in children and adults include limiting fluid intake, using alarms, and doing pelvic floor exercises.
• Providing emotional and motivational support to adults or children who bed-wet can help combat it.

Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis, is involuntary urination at night. It can affect both children and adults. 

Bedwetting as an adult or a child past the age of 5 due to developmental delay or other factors can be a hassle for the adult, the child, and even the guardian.

Living with this condition can lead to a stressful search for effective solutions to stop bedwetting. So here are natural remedies for treating and managing bedwetting in children and adults.

1. Limiting fluid intake

Excessive water consumption, especially around bedtime, will most likely contribute to bedwetting in children and adults. To avoid wetting the bed involuntarily, it is best to achieve your daily water intake at least one hour before bedtime, or if necessary, ensure your child drinks all the water they need at least one to two hours before bedtime.

2. Timed voiding / bladder training

This process works quite well for children as well as adults. Timed voiding means having a scheduled interval for using the toilet. It has been proven to decrease bedwetting significantly. 

You can help your child train their bladder by encouraging them to urinate at 2 to 3-hour intervals during the day and twice before bedtime, 30 minutes apart.

3. The alarm therapy

The alarm therapy involves using a bedwetting alarm that goes off when it detects moisture to manage bedwetting. 

This alarm therapy has proven effective for children and adults with primary enuresis (adults who have been bedwetting since childhood). However, consistency is needed for this therapy to be a complete success.

For children, the parent(s) should be well motivated, waking up each time the alarm goes off to ensure the child uses the bathroom and does not go right back to sleep. This also applies to adults who bed-wet. 

However, the alarm therapy should not be used for adults who bed wet due to the following reasons or conditions:

• A disease or condition, including degenerative diseases
• Inability to sense a full bladder
• Being unable to get to the bathroom due to physical challenges

4. Dietary changes

Constipation is one of the causes of bedwetting in children and in adults. It is associated with bedwetting in children, especially those aged between 5-7 and 7-12 years.

So, it is important to choose the right foods, such as fiber-rich foods, like oranges, bananas, oatmeal, and almonds, for you or your child to avoid discomfort while making a bowel movement.

Additionally, when it comes to fluid consumption, fluids like caffeine, citrus juices, bubbles, and sweetened drinks should be avoided as they can cause the production of extra urine.

5. Pelvic floor exercises

One of the main causes of bedwetting, especially in adults, is weak pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic floor muscles control bladder movement, so when they are weak, a person will most likely experience loss of bladder control, causing urine to leak during physical activities or while sleeping. 

Practicing pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and combat bedwetting.

6. Vitamin D supplementation

According to a study carried out in 2024, vitamin D deficiency was found in children with nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting), and this can be attributed to the fact that vitamin D helps reduce bladder contractions (squeezing of the bladder to eject urine).

Therefore, consuming foods rich in vitamin D, such as oily fish (mackerels, salmon, sardines), red meat, liver, and egg yolk, could help with bedwetting in children and adults. 

7. Herbal remedy

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be a contributing factor to bedwetting, most especially in children. So herbs used to treat UTIs, like uva-ursi (bearberry), may be helpful for treating bedwetting. If the underlying cause is UTI. 

Also, natural plants like ginger, walnuts, hollyhock, European gooseberry, common grape vine, true cinnamon, and cornelian cherry may be used to treat bedwetting.

NB: Ensure you or your child have tried other behavioral remedies, like bladder training and dietary changes, and consult your doctor before opting for the herbal remedy. 

8. Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese complementary (natural) medicine that involves inserting needles into certain body parts to treat certain physical and mental conditions.

Acupuncture has been shown to treat bedwetting at a high success rate of 76–98%, as it reduces the number of bedwetting episodes by increasing the storage capacity of the bladder and reducing incontinence.

NB: This should only be performed on you or your child by a certified acupuncturist (Doctor of Acupuncture). 

9. Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a complementary (natural) medicine or therapy that uses essential oils and other aromatic compounds to improve psychological health. 

It has been proven to improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety, pain, and depression, which are contributing factors to bedwetting in children and adults.

Lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus oils are essential oils that help with sleep and relaxation. 

It is important to note that these essential oils are not to be ingested but can be inhaled, applied topically, or used for massage.

Coping and support

Coping with bedwetting as an adult or providing emotional support to your child or to adults who bed-wet require certain approaches: 

Emotional support

Emotional support is essential in coping with bedwetting. Explain to your child that bedwetting is common and that they will eventually outgrow it. For adults who bed-wet, acknowledge their feelings, show empathy, and try to remedy their condition.

Motivational support

A bedwetting diary or calendar should be kept to track ongoing therapy or treatment. Also, consider giving rewards when new records are broken. This approach works for many children, with some overcoming bedwetting completely, while some have fewer wet nights.

When to seek medical care

In some cases, bedwetting can be well managed with the above remedies, but you should consult your doctor in these cases:

• Bedwetting persists when you have tried any of the above remedies or more for three months.
• When there are signs of urinary tract infections, such as burning pain while urinating, fever, having a persistent urge to urinate but passing small amounts of urine, etc. 
• Having only wet nights (bedwetting every night).
• Bedwetting again after having several dry nights.

Wrap up

Bedwetting is common and can affect people of any age. While it can be difficult to stop, it can be well-managed with the natural remedies mentioned above in some cases. If the natural remedies do not work, consult a healthcare professional.

It is also important to offer emotional and motivational support to people who bed-wet, as this helps them cope with the situation.