Nevertheless, morning dehydration it can become more or less severe depending on your nightly routine the night before, and you can often blame a lack of hydration for exacerbating symptoms like fatigue, a throbbing headache, dry mouth, or parched skin that leave you feeling anything but energized in the morning. morning More severe dehydration means more severe symptoms Y an increase in the amount of time (and the amount of fluids) your body will need to rebalance itself and restore hydration levels. And what’s worse than feeling dehydrated, confused, and low on energy for an entire day?
Fortunately, you can reduce the chance of becoming overly dehydrated in the morning by keeping an eye out for these sneaky (read: preventable) causes of dehydration that can be part of your nightly routine.
What causes dehydration in the morning? According to an RD, these nightly routines could make you thirsty when you wake up:
1. Not drinking enough water during the day
While you may not want to drink water just before bed because of the for your bladder (and, in turn, the quality of your sleep), you need to make sure you’re well hydrated early at night and throughout the day.
related stories
“If you’re not well hydrated and haven’t been drinking enough water and fluids at bedtime, you’ll feel thirsty, have a dry mouth, and possibly a sore throat or a dry throat when you wake up,” he says. sad better, MPH, RD, LD. “Your urine may also have a strong odor or appear darker than normal.” If your urine is dark yellow or orange in the morning, Best says that’s an indicator that your hydration levels are too low.
The best action step here is to set reminders to drink more fluids and water with dinner and in moderation before bed. Best also recommends incorporating more foods that contain electrolytes (such as Greek yogurt, bananas, peanut butter, and leafy green vegetables) in your dinners and bedtime snacks. Electrolytes help maximize and replenish hydration stores to keep your body balanced while you sleep, leaving you with less of a deficit in the morning.
2. Have a cocktail or glass of wine (or two) before bed
If you wake up feeling dizzy and lightheaded or experience headaches, think about your favorite drink the night before. “When you drink alcohol at night, you are less likely to drink water and other hydrating drinks. Alcohol also prevents the body from releasing antidiuretic hormone, which leads to more water loss than normal and helps explain your increased need to urinate at night”, says Best. “Other signs of morning dehydration caused by alcohol can include dry skin, dry or chapped lips, and low skin turgor, which means that when you pinch the skin on your hand, it doesn’t spring back.”
To avoid this undesirable scenario (and the subsequent hangover), alternate alcoholic beverages with a glass of water and avoid consuming more than you One USDA recommended drink per day when it is possible. This will help reduce the amount you are drinking overall and keep your body’s hydration levels in check. For reference, drink a full glass of water for every 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or one and a half ounces of liquor you consume.
3. The room is too warm or your duvet is too heavy.
An environment that is too warm or too much heat from blankets can cause dehydration; this is why we tend to wake up sweatier and thirstier during the summer. “Colder temperatures are better for sleeping,” he says. Lauren Harris-PincusMS, RDN, Founder of NutritionStarringYou.com and author of The Easy Everything Cookbook for Prediabetes. “Sleeping in temperatures above 67°F can cause night sweats, ultimately resulting in fluid and electrolyte losses.” Harris-Pincus adds that dry winter air can also lead to dehydration, causing you to wake up thirsty as a result. “Using a humidifier in the winter can also help decrease fluid loss,” she recommends.
Best agrees that cooler temperatures help the body stay hydrated. “For better sleep quality and lower risk of dehydration, set your thermostat between 60°F and 67°F, as this is what recommended by the Sleep Foundation”, says Best. If you can’t control the temperature in your home or don’t have air conditioning, another good option is to sleep with a fan on or with an open window.
“Cotton bedding and heavy blankets can also make dehydration more likely due to their sweat-promoting nature,” says Best. If you’re a hot sleeper, Best recommends trying silk or microfiber sheets, which are more cooling materials.
4. Her bedtime snack was super salty (or caffeinated)
There’s nothing better than a meal before bed, but the type of food you eat at night can affect your hydration levels the next day. “Eating a salty or high-sodium snack before bed can lead to dehydration, since sodium is programmed to draw water out of cells and increase urine output,” Best says, meaning you’re more likely to become dehydrated. wake up dehydrated in the morning. as a result. In addition, you may also wake up in the middle of the night with a feeling of urgency to urinate, even though there is not much urine in terms of quantity to urinate.
To avoid this, try having a hydrating, low-sodium snack in the evening. Best recommends a small piece of fruit with a high-protein source that contains tryptophan and magnesium, both of which increase sleepiness to help you fall asleep faster. Examples include a small apple with unsalted peanut or almond butter, a slice of lean low-sodium turkey breast on a slice of whole-wheat toast with guacamole, or Greek yogurt with nuts and berries.
Keep in mind that caffeine and sugar can also cause fluid loss, especially if consumed close to bedtime. “Try to reduce your caffeine intake during the early evening hours and minimize your intake of added sugar in the evening. Recommendations of the American Heart Association 24 grams (six teaspoons) per day for women and 36 grams (nine teaspoons) for men,” says Harris-Pincus.
5. Poor quality sleep and mouth breathing
Another reason you might wake up dehydrated is from increased fluid and electrolyte loss while sleeping, which can be caused (and made worse) by poor sleep quality resulting in mouth breathing. “Poor sleep quality can inhibit vasopressin production, a hormone that plays a vital role in the balance of water in the body. When this hormone is suppressed, the body can’t regulate fluids and electrolytes as well,” explains Best. “The body naturally loses fluids and electrolytes while we sleep, but breathing through the mouth at night gradually loses more moisture from the mouth and nose. As a result, you may have poor quality sleep that makes you dehydrated,” says Best.
Clearly, it is a vicious circle. If you’re prone to mouth breathing or wake up frequently, talk to a doctor to find out what steps might be best to improve your sleep and quality.
6. Take dehydrating medication at night
Some medications cause dehydration and water loss, which is often (and unfortunately) unavoidable. However, while some should be taken at night, others can be better timed earlier in the day to avoid this problem. “For example, thiazide diuretics for hypertension, also known as diuretics, can cause dehydration. They work by causing the kidneys to release sodium as a way to increase urine output and water loss,” says Best. They usually don’t need to be taken at night, she says, so talk to her doctor and discuss timing if this might be a concern.
Other medications that Best says can increase dehydration include over-the-counter drugs like Excedrin for migraines, type 2 diabetes drugs like metformin, some chemotherapy drugs, as well as Apremilast for plaque psoriasis. Harris-Pincus adds that some chronic medications, particularly antidepressants, blood pressure medications and laxatives, can also exacerbate symptoms of dehydration. So if you must take them at night, be sure to hydrate more often and in larger amounts to maintain your hydration balance.
7. Increased stress and anxiety, especially at night.
There is a cycle that exists between dehydration and stress: both cause the other, which can create an endless cycle. “High stress causes increased heart rate and heavy breathing, both of which lead to increased water loss. You’re also less likely to prioritize fluid intake and hydration when you’re under stress,” says Best. A solution? Find a way to lower your stress levels before bed. Try to integrate relaxation techniques into your bedtime routine, such as yoga, meditation, or journaling, and avoid the scroll of doom before bed.
Another way to prevent the cycle is to focus on drinking an adequate amount of water throughout the day to stay well hydrated and counteract stress. “A good rule of thumb is that you should aim to drink about half your body weight in ounces of water,” says Best.
8. Oversleeping
Too little sleep is not good for you, but the same goes for too much sleep.especially when it comes to dehydration. Why? Because the more you sleep, the longer you will go without replenishing your body’s fluid stores.
“Sleeping too many hours can contribute to dehydration because you go a long period without drinking. I recommend not exceeding the recommended seven to nine hours per night, which is optimal,” says Harris-Pincus. You will feel restored to Goldilocks degree in the morning without feeling sleepy or thirsty.
9. Skipping hydrating skin care products before bed
The body performs many functions while you sleep to promote restoration to help you wake up feeling more refreshed. Such functions include muscle recovery and collagen production, both of which you can further enhance by applying anti-aging products at night (such as face and body masks, lotions, and creams) before going to bed. While this step won’t affect your body’s *real* hydration levels, it will certainly make your skin feel less dry and protect it from the harmful effects of free radical damage.
Oh hello! You sound like someone who loves free workouts, discounts on cutting-edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness experts, and unlock your rewards instantly.
