Does dehydration affect your sleep? Lack of water affects your sleep, according to science

Do you dream of coffee? The only driving force that motivates you to leave your bed in the morning is the very hot Americano you ordered out of the door so you can queue up at Starbucks and sip the zombie out of your system ? Relying on caffeine to revive your body is like a rite of passage when you wake up at dawn, but there is a good chance that you will return to the beginning and turn around, that is because dehydration affects your sleep. And if science has anything to say about your addiction, it's that your body needs good old H2O with this soymilk coffee. So, if something like coffee, caffeinated tea or even hot chocolate tends to be your first choice to pick me up in the morning, you might want to consider splurging on having a bottle of water to take away too.

Trust me, I'm not in a position to be ashamed of giving your body only partially what it needs to wake up, because I, too, rely on herbal teas to get started the day. A glass of plain water is more or less a midday drink for me. Still, I try to use a cup of H2O for breakfast to double my fluid intake, because I know I rarely, if ever, drink the recommended six to eight cups a day. But, aside from the fact that, according to the Mayo Clinic, not drinking enough water could lead to serious health problems, such as extreme fatigue, dizziness, and a decreased need for health. urinating to naturally release toxins into the body, new research links dehydration to lack of sleep and, just like water, sleep is definitely something you and I need in sufficient quantity to function properly.

According to ScienceDaily, a team of researchers from Penn State University and the National Natural Science Foundation of China have analyzed more closely the effects of hydration on a minimum of closure time. The study involved 20,000 US and Chinese participants divided into three groups. According to the ScienceDaily press release, each participant was asked about his sleep patterns and was asked to submit a urine sample to reveal any evidence of dehydration. According to the results of the study, published in the journal TO SLEEP, the official publication of the Sleep Research Society, those who slept an average of six hours each night were more likely to become dehydrated than those who slept eight hours.

But what exactly happens in your body during those six hours that can dehydrate you? And what could happen during those two extra hours of sleep that would make such a difference? According to Robert Glatter, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health, it all depends on your hormones.

"If you do not get enough sleep, you miss the vasopressin flare", "a hormone produced by your brain that signals the kidneys to prevent dehydration by promoting the retention of water in your body," Glatter tells Elite Daily. . In other words, the less you sleep, the less vasopressin is produced, which causes dehydration, because the kidneys did not know how much water they had to keep.

So here's the good side: you do not have to give up coffee, tea or any other caffeinated drink that prevents you from eating the next day. But you make compensate for the water deficit of your body if you want to have a good night's sleep. You see, here's the basics: it's basically a domino effect. According to this new study, when you do not sleep long enough, it can lead to dehydration. On the other hand, dehydration can prevent you from getting enough sleep or at least not properly all night, because of your body's demand to quench such an intense thirst.

To end this vicious circle, Glatter suggests taking a few cups of water before caffeine in the morning to make sure you start the day off right (that is, hydrated). In addition, Matt Garrell, Certified Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer and Expert at The Vitamin Shoppe, tells Elite Daily that drinks containing electrolytes are also beneficial. "Electrolytes help with dehydration, muscle contractions, and fluid regulation," he says. You may want to try replacing the traditional H2O with coconut water a lot electrolytes) instead.

If regular liquids do not do it for you and you're looking for a little more food in the morning, Certified Holistic Health Coach and co-founder of Raw Generation, Jessica Rosen, says raw fruit and vegetable juices are the way to go. to follow. "Water is always a good option for drinking in the morning, but when you are very dehydrated, it is better to drink something that contains minerals and electrolytes," she told Elite Daily. by e-mail. "Just be sure that [the juices] do not contain added sugar and are not pasteurized. Pasteurized fruit juices are loaded with sugar, which promotes dehydration. "