Of course, most people know it’s not that easy. Data suggests that most people report having some occasional sleep trouble; it may include falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling unrested after sleep.
And it can have far-reaching impacts on your health. Poor sleep is associated with heart troubles, weight gain, poor food choices, memory troubles, and more.
A lot of things happen during sleep, and when they aren’t allowed to occur, it can have a negative effect on a variety of areas. Of course, there is no single solution to better sleep, but one overlooked factor might be water.
How well you’re hydrated may have a direct influence on your ability to get high-quality restful and restorative sleep.
Hydration may influence sleep in a couple of ways. One is that most people lose about a half-liter of water per night; if you’re not adequately hydrated, it might degrade sleep quality. That’s why it’s important to drink water first thing in the morning and keep drinking all day.
There is also data to suggest that going to bed thirsty can mess with your sleep-wake cycle. One study published in Sleep found that participants who only got six hours per night were considerably more dehydrated than those that slept for eight.
Water is extremely important for healthy bodily function, and there is no reason to believe that it’s any less important during periods of sleep.
Drinking more water might help you sleep better, but it’s not the only factor that affects sleep. It’s certainly an easy way to potentially get a few more hours of shuteye, so try your best to drink plenty of water from as soon as you wake up until a couple of hours before bed.