Drink your way to better sleep?

Many people do not realize that their health habits greatly influence or adversely affect their sleep quality. Drinking water is not only important for human survival, but also essential to maintain healthy sleep patterns. Every cell, tissue and organ requires water to function properly. Therefore, proper sleep and adequate hydration work cell-and molecule with each other to maintain proper sleep.

What Comes First?
What comes first the dehydration or the fatigue? Many people who are fatigued are dehydrated, and many sleep-deprived individuals are dehydrated. Typically, there is a connection between feeling tired and not drinking enough water. Lesson learned: Start tracking your water consumption.

Human Biology
In many instances, the body is smarter than the mind and signals to the brain its desire for water. However, due to busy lifestyles or choosing to ignore the signs, many people do not drink water until its too late. When people “are dying of thirst” from either a lack of drinking or eating a highly salted dinner, this leads to late-night chugging before bed. This adversely disrupts sleep, as the body will need to urinate during the nighttime hours. Lesson learned:Get on a drinking schedule. Ignore your busy schedule and listen to your body’s thirst signals.

Daytime Fatigue
Long-term dehydration leads to chronic fatigue. Many individuals may develop chronic fatigue syndrome or develop a daytime napping schedule. Get in with drinking water and throw out caffeine-laden beverages. Drinking caffeine while extremely tired leads to additional long-term consequences. Lesson learned: Water provides you energy. Caffeine does not.

Stops Snoring
According to a quote listed in a WebMD article from Daniel P. Slaughter, MD states, “Secretions in your nose and soft palate become stickier when you’re dehydrated,” and continues to say, “this can create more snoring.” Lesson learned: Water benefits your health and your partner’s sleep quality.

Water Consumption Goals
The average person should aim to drink one to three liters of water per day. Men usually require more water than women and not all liquids have to come from water. Fruits, vegetables, soups, moist meats and broth are other ways to consume liquids. Water is best consumed as is or infused by nature’s fruit. Sugar-water such as Gatorade and flavor packets lead to other issues such in spiking insulin levels and gaining weight