When they are awakened in the middle of the night, most men assume that their prostate is the source of the problem because once they are awake they have the urge to urinate.

The brain is designed so that when we sleep, no matter how full our bladders get, we will not wake up. The sensation of having to urinate is suppressed throughout the night.

However, if something wakes a person during the night, he or she will become aware of the need to urinate.

The difference is that when we first start to awaken, there is no overriding sensation of the need to urinate. It slowly appears as we become more alert.

Correcting hypoglycemia can actually help people sleep better.

To do this, a person should avoid eating dessert with or after the last meal of the day, stay away from eating high-glycemic foods in excess, and exercise regularly. In some cases, it may be a good idea for a person at risk for hypoglycemia to eat supper closer to bedtime.

In addition, avoid alcoholic and sugar-containing drinks in the evening.

Snacking before bedtime can help as long as the snack is high in saturated fat, contains some protein, along with a very small amount of low-glycemic carbohydrate.