Is Sleep Apnea Related to Bedwetting? Here’s What Parents Should Know

Bedwetting (or nocturnal enuresis) is a common concern for many families—but did you know it might be linked to how your child sleeps?

One surprising but well-researched connection is between sleep apnea and bedwetting. We will explain how the two are related and how supporting your child’s sleep could help with nighttime dryness.
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 What Is Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) happens when a child’s airway becomes partially or fully blocked during sleep. This causes pauses in breathing, snoring, restlessness, and disrupted sleep.

It’s more common in children with:

• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
• Allergies
• Frequent mouth breathing
• A history of restless sleep or daytime tiredness

So, How Can Sleep Apnea Cause Bedwetting?

Here are four ways:

1. Disrupted Sleep = Missed Bladder Signals: Kids with OSA often don’t reach or stay in deep sleep. The brain may not respond properly to bladder signals—so even with a full bladder, they don’t wake up in time.
2. More Urine Made at Night: Sleep apnea can interfere with the release of a hormone called ADH that helps the body hold onto water overnight. Less ADH means more urine, leading to a higher chance of accidents.
3. Pressure on the Heart: When breathing is blocked, pressure inside the chest changes. This can cause the heart to release a hormone (ANP) that tells the kidneys, "Get rid of water!"—leading to even more urine.
4. Posture & Breathing Affect Core Control: Children with poor airway function often breathe through their mouths and lie in unusual positions. This can impact core stability and pelvic floor control, making it harder to stay dry overnight.

What Does the Research Say?

Several studies have found that children with treatment-resistant bedwetting often have signs of sleep-disordered breathing. In many cases, treating the sleep issue—such as with tonsil removal or nasal support—has helped reduce or even stop the bedwetting.

What Can You Do?

If your child is experiencing ongoing bedwetting along with signs like:

• Snoring
• Restless sleep
• Mouth breathing
• Daytime fatigue

…it’s worth having their sleep assessed. A referral to an ENT specialist, sleep clinic, or a pediatric physiotherapist could be the next best step.  

 
How our physiotherapists at the Ball can help

• Support breathing pattern retraining
• Improve posture and core control
• Help with pelvic floor coordination
• Offer sleep-supportive strategies for better body alignment

 
Final Thoughts

Bedwetting is often seen as a nighttime bladder issue—but for some children, it starts with how they breathe and sleep.  At On the Ball we will look at the bigger picture and adopt a holistic approach to help your child feel more comfortable, confident, and dry at night.

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