Is There A Connection Between Dehydration and Sleep Habits?
Dehydration and Sleep
Being dehydrated is the worst–and the sad thing is, most of us aren’t always aware when we need hydration. The body will give us signs and symptoms that we are dehydrated, but often these signs will go unnoticed or we will blame it on something else. Sure, the obvious signs of dehydration include dry lips, lethargy, headaches, and more, but did you know that chronic dehydration can actually impact your sleep health? Yep, the relationship between the two is complicated, but we are starting to learn more about how better hydration can actually aid in you getting a more restful night’s rest.
So if you have ever wondered why you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, it may be time to reevaluate your hydration habits and how they impact your sleep.
Today we are looking at the relationship between dehydration and sleep. Let’s get into it…
Are You Dehydrated?
When you're dehydrated, the lining of your mouth becomes dry, and your urine becomes darker in color. You may also experience headaches and feel tired or lethargic. But how do you know that these symptoms aren’t caused by something else? For example, these same symptoms could be the result of hunger or even caffeine withdrawals. Well, for starters, it might help to start tracking how much water you’re drinking each day.
When you start to track your water intake, you might be able to stop dehydration before it sets in and starts to impact other bodily functions. Drinking plenty of water helps replenish body fluids lost through sweat or other activities during the day. The amount of water needed varies depending on the person; however, most people will tell you that eight 8oz glasses of water per day is plenty. And while this is a great number to start with, the truth is that you actually may need more or less depending on a number of lifestyle factors. This is why it is so essential to incorporate electrolytes (as well as water) into your daily hydration efforts.
How Sleep Is Impacted By Lack Of Hydration
Sleep is another important component of health, and lack of sleep can be detrimental to your well-being. Dehydration and sleep are connected in a variety of ways, but one of the most common is that dehydration can cause fatigue and grogginess during the day. As we’ve already discussed, water helps to regulate body temperature by helping you sweat in hot weather or feel warm when you’re cold. It also helps maintain blood volume—without enough water flowing through your veins, you may experience dizziness or fainting spells caused by low blood pressure. Additionally, when you're dehydrated, your skin can become dry and flaky, making it less supple and more prone to wrinkles and fine lines. Dehydration also causes fatigue, constipation and headaches—all things that are not conducive to getting a good night's rest!
Since hydration keeps all these systems working correctly on a daily basis (not just when we need them), it's important to keep up with our fluid intake throughout the day–not just today and tomorrow, but forever. In fact, as we grow older, hydration becomes more critical to overall health and body function. Without enough fluids in our bodies overall, it might not take long before we start feeling exhausted because dehydration affects every cell in our bodies—including those responsible for making us feel awake!
How To Stay Hydrated And Improve Your Sleep
- Drink water throughout the day
- Incorporate sugar-free electrolytes into your hydration efforts
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks, when you can
- Avoid eating too much before bedtime to avoid dehydration (from high-sodium foods)
You may have heard that water is the best choice for hydration, and this is true, but as we have mentioned a million times before, it’s simply not enough. Water is your body's natural hydration source and it’s important to maintain proper hydration levels in order for your body to function properly. But when you add electrolytes to the mix using an electrolyte powder mix like Ultima Replenisher, you are replenishing your electrolytes with more than just water.
Takeaway
For a lot of people, getting a good night's sleep is a struggle. The fact that dehydration can be one of the underlying causes of poor sleep shows just how important it is to stay hydrated and practice good sleep hygiene. This can help you get more restorative rest and feel refreshed and alert during the day, which will improve your quality of life overall!
So if you are ready to address dehydration and sleep problems, you might want to start with upping your hydration routine with the help of Ultima Replenisher. Shop sugar-free electrolytes now.
