Get a Good Night's Sleep! Tips to Preventing Overnight Leaks
Helpful Guide
Helping Your Parent
Incontinence
Information and Education
National Incontinence Awareness Month

Get a Good Night's Sleep! Tips to Preventing Overnight Leaks

Let’s talk about leaks. If you’re experiencing nighttime product leaks, you’re not alone. There is nothing more frustrating than getting interrupted during a night’s sleep due to leaks, and it’s a common dilemma we hear about from our customers.

There are multiple reasons you could be experiencing product leaks. The most common reasons are incorrect sizing, not enough absorbency, insufficient leg elastics, leg guards or tapes. Below is a chart identifying potential causes of leaks, why they occur and our solution to this problem.

Understanding and Preventing Product Leaks

Potential Cause of Leaks

Why?

Solution

Wrong Size

A product that is too loose will gap at the legs or the back.

Measure the waist and hips of the individual and use the larger of the two for true sizing.

Not Enough Super Absorbent Polymer or Fluff

Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) is the absorbent material in briefs. Low SAP content means the product won’t absorb as much urine.

Look for more SAP-rich briefs that will last longer and absorb more.

Leg Elastics

Leg elastics ensure that the product is fitted close to the body without gaps.

Look for products which have a minimum of 3 sturdy leg elastics.

Standing Leg Guards

Leg guards contain heavy flows of urine until the SAP can absorb it.

Look for products that have standing leg guards and (ideally) front and back guards as well.

Tabs or Tapes

A product with poor tabs will cause gaping or shifting.

Look for products with a strong, re-sealable Velcro-like tabs or tapes.

Distribution of Material

A product without an absorbent core, or which is bunchy, will not absorb readily.

Look for products with a high density core in the area closest to urine output, and one that has SAP evenly distributed without bunching.

Wetness Indicator

Caregivers may not know when a product needs to be changed due to lack of visibility.

Look for products that have a highly visible wetness indicator that runs the full length of the product.


Not sure where to start in assessing your current incontinence product?

Healthwick is here to help. Our friendly customer service team can work with you to identify the problem, and put you in a product to help you sleep through the night, uninterrupted. Free samples are a great way to test different products.

If you feel you’re in a well-fitting and high-absorbency product that meets the criteria in the above chart, you may just have to amp up absorbency. Give booster pads a try. Booster pads are designed to increase the life of a host product by increasing the product absorbency. Learn more about booster pads here.

For extra protection, consider using underpads. Underpads add an additional layer of protection for those who are using absorbent products to manage incontinence. Underpads help to protect your bedding and furniture in the event of a leak. They come in washable and disposable options and are available in a range or sizes and absorbencies. To view our selection of underpads, please click here.

We hope this advice helps you sleep soundly through the night! If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Shop incontinence products for overnight protection on our website.

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