In podcast episode 53, it is explained that it is possible to reduce urine production at night. This requires the bed to be inclined at an angle of approximately 10 degrees, as this ensures that the heart is positioned higher than the kidneys. A 10-degree incline means that the head end of the bed is approximately 30 cm higher than the foot end. Is it possible to lie in such a steep incline?

The key point is that the heart is positioned slightly higher than the kidneys, and it is not an extra pillow – for the neck, for example – that makes the difference. Placing 1–2 bricks under the legs at the head end, or a few volumes of the National Encyclopaedia that are likely to be gathering dust, can raise the head end of the bed. Whether the actual angle ends up being 10 degrees is of less importance. People usually get used to this, and it may be worth a try – urine output generally decreases if the (blood) pressure to the kidneys increases. /Håkan Widner