Should one drink water before bedtime? The Pros and Cons

We all know that drinking water is good for us, in fact, we are often told we should be drinking at least 8 glasses of water daily. This is because our bodies lose water during the day due to perspiration, passing motion and even breathing. There also is a school of thought that encourages drinking a glass of water before going to bed, so as to remain hydrated throughout the night. Today, we shall discuss if drinking water before bedtime is indeed healthy.

There is no clear cut answer to this question, but we shall lay down some facts for you to make your own conclusion.

The Pros of Drinking Water Before Bedtime

1. It keeps you hydrated

Our bodies need water in order for our systems and internal organs to work. It is also important to stay hydrated throughout the day so that we avoid getting headaches, feeling dizzy and suffer the overall effects of dehydration. As such, it is helpful to drink water before bedtime to ensure that our bodies receive sufficient water before we sleep.

2. It is believed to aid in weight loss

Water by itself has no weight loss properties, but it keeps our tummies full without the added calories. Water takes up space in our stomach tricking our brain into feeling full, and preventing us from snacking on something less healthy late at night. So, if you’re craving for some midnight munchies, why not enjoy a glass of water to stay full instead of chowing down on a less than healthy snack?

It is also believed that warm water activates certain metabolic activity in the body as the sudden increase in temperature causes the body to regulate its temperature back to its original state. Thus, in essence, drinking warm water causes the body to burn calories through the regulating of its temperature.

3. It is a natural agent that helps in detox and improving digestion 

Drinking a healthy amount of warm water will help to flush our systems of all the harmful toxins lurking within. Drinking some warm water at night could help us flush out the toxins we had ingested from earlier in the day, keeping our systems clear and body well hydrated for the next day.

4. It can help to reduce stress levels

If you are prone to feeling stressed, there is a school of thought that suggests that downing a glass of warm water before bed could help to relieve stress. This is because warm water helps to increase the functionality of our central nervous system, which can positively impact our mood. The act of a warm drink before bed also feels calming and could soothe your nerves after a long day.

The Cons of Drinking Water At Night

1. Disrupting your sleep cycle

Drinking a healthy amount of water keeps us hydrated, but we should refrain from drinking too much water close to bedtime. This is because water is digested almost immediately in our bodies, and will cause you to have to make frequent trips to the bathroom at night. Repeatedly waking up in the middle of the night disrupts our natural sleep cycle, affects the quality of our sleep and can impact our concentration and ability to focus the next day.

2. It makes your kidney work harder 

Drinking water is a good habit, but overdoing it is unhelpful. Though consuming lots of water keeps our bodies hydrated, drinking too much water before bed forces our kidneys to work harder to flush excess water from our bodies at night. Doing this for an extended period of time could negatively impact our kidney function.

3. It can dilute your blood

When we drink an excessive amount of warm water before sleeping, it can affect the concentration of blood in our bodies. The dilution of blood has serious consequences, as such, we can drink water, but drink it in moderation.

Drinking water before bed time definitely has its benefits, however it is said that drinking too close to your bedtime can cause interruption to your sleep cycle which is not good. It is advised that one drinks enough water throughout the day and avoid excessive water intake at night.

To conclude, drinking water before bedtime is helpful as it ensures that our bodies remain hydrated during the night, can help us avoid unnecessary weight gain from midnight snacking, flushes our internal systems and can help to reduce our stress levels. However, we should always remember to drink water in moderation. Doing so will help us avoid disrupting our sleep cycle and prevent our kidneys from being overworked, and prevent our blood from being diluted.