OBJECTIVES: Nocturia is defined by the International Continence Society as the need to void one or more times during the night, with each of the voids preceded and followed by sleep. The chronic sleep disturbance and sleep deprivation suffered by nocturia patients impacts their entire health-related quality of life, compromising both mental and physical well-being. This review aims to better characterise the societal burden of nocturia by comparing published data from nocturia patients with those of 12 other common chronic conditions, specifically focussing on the impact on work productivity and activity impairment, as measured by the WPAI (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment) instrument. METHODS: Systematic searches of Medline and the WPAI database returned 241 publications, after removal of duplicates, 178 publications were screened, and 79 evaluable studies were identified for inclusion in the review. Most exclusions were due to duplicate publication of the same study or insufficient WPAI data presented. Data extraction recorded study and summary-level patient characteristics and all reported WPAI data on overall work productivity impairment and overall activity impairment. RESULTS: The number of evaluable studies, the number of different disease-specific subgroups with WPAI data and the range of overall work productivity impairment reported, respectively, were as follows: nocturia (3, 10, 14-39%); overactive bladder (6, 6, 11-41%); irritable bowel syndrome/ constipation (11, 13, 25-40%); GERD (13, 15, 13-33%); asthma/ allergies (11, 15, 6-40%); COPD (7, 9, 21-42%); sleep problems (2, 3, 12-37%); arthritis (12, 16, 21-69%); pain (8, 9, 29-52%); depression (4, 5, 15-43%); and gout (2, 2, 20-37%). CONCLUSIONS: The overall work productivity impairment of nocturia is substantial and found to be similar to several other more frequently researched common chronic diseases.  Greater awareness of the burden of nocturia, a highly bothersome and prevalent condition, will help policy-makers and healthcare decision-makers to provide appropriate management of nocturia.