Drinking water throughout the day and keeping yourself hydrated may be the healthiest habit you could have. Our bodies are made up of mostly water and need fresh water to continually keep our organs running and flush out toxins. The benefits of drinking water are all over the map, including links to better heart health, weight loss and even glowing skin.
But what about drinking water before bed? Check out the benefits as well as one big drawback before making room on your nightstand for a midnight thirst quencher.
Pro: Better temperature control
If you’re the type of sleeper who is always tossing and turning because you’re either freezing or overheating, having a glass of water before bed may help. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drinking water helps keep your body temperature in a normal range. When you’re dehydrated, you’re more likely to feel too cold or hot. Try sipping warm water or decaf tea to relax in the evenings.
Pro: Glowing skin
Wake up to glowing skin when you end your day with a tall glass of water. When you’re dehydrated, your skin appears dull and sagging. Plump it up by drinking more water throughout the day. Hydrated skin is also less likely to have premature wrinkles, so treat yourself to a DIY face mask and cool glass of water tonight.
Pro: Easier breathing
If you ever wake at night with asthma or allergy symptoms, try keeping a water bottle on your nightstand. When you’re dehydrated, your airway constricts (becomes narrower) and this can make it harder to breathe. Drink a glass of water before bed to keep your respiratory system hydrated and relaxed.
Pro: Healthier immune system
Drinking water throughout the day keeps you healthy by flushing out bacteria from your system. When you’re dehydrated, that bacteria can sit in your bladder, leading to a urinary tract or other types of infection. If you haven’t had enough water today, drink plenty at night to ward off illness.
Here’s exactly how much water you should drink each day. Hint: It’s not eight glasses for everyone.
Pro: Less stress on your heart
Staying hydrated is an easy way to keep your heart healthy. Our heart pumps blood to the entire body, so when you’re hydrated, the blood pumps more easily and takes the stress off of your heart. Along with eating a heart-healthy diet, drinking water during the day supports your heart and every other vital organ.
Is drinking water before bed good for your heart?
Drinking water at any time of day is good for your heart. If you’re thirsty at bedtime, that means that your body needs water, so go ahead and pour yourself a glass before turning in for the night.
Pro: Weight loss
Multiple research studies have found a link between drinking water and losing weight. This may be due to the fact that staying hydrated boosts metabolism. When you’re dehydrated, your body doesn’t have the energy to burn extra calories, so be sure to sip water throughout the day to keep your metabolism humming along.
Does drinking water before bed make you gain weight?
While drinking water throughout the day is linked with weight loss, drinking water before bed may indirectly lead to weight gain. That’s because of the one major drawback to bedtime water drinking…disrupted sleep.
Con: Disrupted sleep
Despite all of the benefits of drinking water before bed, each one could be canceled out by the one drawback. When you drink water right before falling asleep, you’re more likely to wake up at night to use the bathroom. While one or two wake-ups may not seem like a big deal at the time, chronically disrupted sleep can wreak havoc on our health.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, individuals who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to experience chronic heart disease, diabetes, obesity and depression. Sleep is crucial for restoring our health each night and repairing muscles and organs.
What is the best time to drink water?
It’s still healthy to drink water at any time of day, including bedtime, as long as it does not disturb your sleep. If you notice that you’re waking up for bathroom trips each night, stop drinking water one to two hours before bed to see if that helps. Each of our bodies is different, so the right time to stop drinking water for the day will vary for everyone.
Next up, Learn about the best and worst drinks for hydration.
The post The Pros and Cons of Drinking Water Before Bed appeared first on Taste of Home.
Carrie Madormo, RN