How to Prevent Dehydration During Sleep

Dehydration is a common problem that many people suffer from. In fact, in America around 75% of the population suffer from chronic dehydration, drinking a total of only 2.5 cups of water per day. 

The most common form of fluid loss in the body is through urination, however, it can also happen through perspiration, known as insensible water loss. Even breathing causes water loss, with the average person losing around 400ml of water over the course of the day through breathing alone.

Dehydration is also closely related to sleep, and issues with sleep. In this article, we will discuss in more detail the relationship between hydration and sleeping, how to prevent dehydration overnight, and what some of the side effects/risks are. For a healthy sleep, check out the Sleep Connection review and other products.

How to prevent dehydration during sleep

The simplest way to avoid dehydration during your sleep is to drink a glass of water right before going to bed, and right after waking up. This narrows down the time frame that your body will go without water. Nonetheless, there are other techniques. 

It is important to not put all your focus on being hydrated in the evening. If your body has been lacking fluid throughout the day, it will crave it more before bed. To eliminate this problem, frequently drink water throughout the entire day. This is especially important during and after exercise, or any activity that causes an increased amount of perspiration. 

Another method is to decrease the amount that you urinate at night. The more you urinate, the more fluid you will lose. Going to sleep on a half-full bladder can actually be beneficial. Since coffee has a mild diuretic effect, it is recommended to avoid drinking coffee right before bed, and right after waking up. 

Alcohol is a massive factor in dehydration. For every alcoholic drink you consume, your body can expel up to 4 times that amount of liquid. If you are drinking alcohol, it is advised to drink a glass of water between each alcoholic beverage. Lastly, keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature. If you are sweating during the night, you will lose more fluid while you sleep.

Can dehydration cause sleep problems?

Hydration is one of the most important systems that our body needs to function. Without enough fluid, it can affect various functions, including sleep. Since dehydration causes many physical problems, these directly result in your lack of ability to get a restful night’s sleep, as your body is in discomfort. Some of the physical effects of dehydration that are related to sleep problems are listed below;

• Muscle cramps
• Nocturnal leg cramps
• Headache
• Dry mouth
• Lethargic 

Can dehydration cause poor sleep?

Not drinking enough fluids will lead to dehydration. When you are dehydrated, it affects your body’s ability to produce the sleep hormone, melatonin. This happens as your essential amino acids are reduced. Without sufficient melatonin levels, your circadian rhythms will be thrown off, causing difficulties staying asleep, getting deep sleep, or falling asleep. 

Common side effects of insufficient melatonin include; waking up during the night or too early in the morning, insomnia, restlessness, and poor stress response. 

Does your body dehydrate when you sleep?

During sleep, your circadian rhythm kicks in to keep a balanced hydration level overnight. It works by sending signals that will cause your body to produce vasopressin, a hormone that promotes water retention. This prevents your body from becoming drastically dehydrated when you are sleeping. 

Nonetheless, your body will still be consuming less fluid and electrolytes than it would be during the day, for this reason, your body will naturally become more dehydrated during sleep.

Can dehydration make you not sleep?

Since dehydration both causes a lack of melatonin and physical body discomforts, it could increase the difficulty of falling asleep. If your body is not comfortable, it will cause mental irritation and send signals to your brain that will keep you awake. 

This can cause a cycle of events – not getting enough sleep and as a result, becoming dehydrated, and not sleeping properly due to dehydration side effects. Sleep deprivation can increase your sensitivity to pain, making it even more noticeable. As well as this, your body’s natural anti-inflammatory hormone, cortisol, is lower at night. These two factors combined can affect sleeping by the route of dehydration.

Can lack of sleep cause dehydration?

As mentioned earlier in the article, your circadian rhythm creates vasopressin when you sleep to retain water, however, studies have shown that if there are interruptions to your sleep, or you generally get less than 6 hours of sleep per night, then this natural process may be interrupted. The study suggests that people who have 8 hours of sleep each night will have a higher level of vasopressin. 

Therefore, as a result of sleep interruptions, it prevents the function of the hormone signals. Due to this, lack of sleep can actually have a direct cause of dehydration. 

Can you die from dehydration in your sleep?

Terminal dehydration is known as ‘the point of no return’. When this happens, drinking water will not make up for the damage caused to your body, and instead, it will require medical treatment. 

The good news is that for your body to get to the stage of terminal dehydration, it will take multiple days of zero fluid intake. This means that the risk of dying from dehydration in your sleep is very low, as long as you continue to drink.

Before you reach the terminal stage, your body will experience several side effects such as hallucinations and delirium. This is a warning sign. If you feel you have any of these symptoms, seek medical help and stay awake.  

Most reported deaths of dehydration are from negligence in hospitals and nursing homes; however, some people also chose to do it voluntarily. 

Summary

The soundness of your sleep and your hydration levels are closely related. Both the sleep hormones and water retention hormones rely on each other to send signals. With a lack of fluid, these signals can be interrupted and cause side effects such as dehydration and sleep problems.

There are methods to decrease your dehydration levels overnight, such as reducing fluids that have diuretic effects. Nonetheless, the most effective way to prevent dehydration overnight is to consistently drink the recommended amount of water throughout the entire course of the day.