Drinking water before bed? It can make or break your sleep.
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Leesduur: 3 min
Drinking enough water is important for staying healthy. Your body needs a good fluid balance for blood circulation and to supply all your organs with nutrients. Drinking water affects your metabolism, brain, and heart.
But drinking enough water can be tricky, especially when you drink it. Drinking too little or too much late at night is likely to disrupt your sleep. Below, you'll find out how drinking water can make or break your sleep.
Too little water can cause nighttime thirst, while too much water leads to more frequent urination and disturbed sleep.
Try to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water for adequate hydration, but avoid excessive intake late at night.
Stop drinking one to two hours before bedtime to protect your sleep and avoid unnecessary trips to the toilet.
The influence of drinking water on your sleep
Drinking water has a huge impact on your health. You need it to feel energized, keep your organs functioning properly, flush out toxins, and maintain a balanced pH.
We all know we should drink an average of 1.5 to 2 liters of water. Yet, many people find it quite difficult to balance this. This leads to two problems, which in turn affect sleep:
Either you drink too little and wake up thirsty. Or you drink too much and sleep poorly because you have to go to the bathroom at night.
Drinking too little water can cause thirst and dehydration.
If you don't drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day, you're likely to become dehydrated. This is not only bad for your health, but dehydration can also cause you to wake up during the night. This usually happens between 2 and 3 a.m., when the liver is most active.
A dry mouth is an unpleasant feeling. However, it's a clear sign that you haven't drunk enough during the day, and it's important to address this. Use the tips below to start drinking more.
Nighttime thirst can also be caused by diabetes.
Did you know? If you're drinking enough and still feel thirsty at night, it might be helpful to have your blood sugar levels checked.
Drinking too much water keeps you awake at night
On the other hand, drinking too much water (or drinking too much too late in the evening) can disrupt your sleep. It's good to want to drink enough, but if you drink too much water, you'll have to go to the bathroom one or more times during the night.
The fact that you have to pee is already a stressor for your body. Even before you wake up, you'll sleep less deeply.
If you then get up to pee, there's a good chance you'll be wide awake. A nighttime trip to the bathroom disrupts your sleep cycle, and it can be difficult to fall back asleep.
It is therefore best not to drink too much water, tea or other drinks too late in the evening.
How to Prevent Bad Sleep by Drinking Water
Drinking enough water doesn't necessarily affect your sleep. With a few simple tips, you can prevent waking up at night from thirst or from drinking too much.
If you wake up thirsty, try to make sure you still drink one and a half to two liters of water.
Keep a 0.5-liter bottle of water nearby at all times and drink one before lunch, another before dinner, and the third in the evening. This way, you'll easily reach your 1.5 liters of water.
If necessary, set an alarm to remind you when it's time to drink something. Remember, your body really needs fluids to stay healthy!
It's also helpful to spread out your water intake so you don't have to get up to pee during the night. Try to drink enough well before you go to bed. Everyone's body is different; for some, one hour is enough, while for others, it needs to be two or three hours.
For example, if you go to bed at 10:30 PM, you shouldn't drink anything after 9:30 PM. Or, if two hours works better for you, after 8:30 PM. This way, you can prevent poor sleep by drinking water.
Want to know more about sleep and falling asleep? This blog post offers 4 helpful tips for falling asleep faster.
Miriam
Mirjam felt a connection with nature from a young age. This has led to a deep passion for health, natural remedies, and healthy eating. She also loves reading, yoga, and writing. When the weather is nice, she enjoys exploring new hiking trails.
