Many people don't get enough sleep and new research also reveals that many people don't drink enough water or sugar free fluid, with over 6 million Brits not drinking any sugar free fluid every day.
And hydration and sleep go hand in hand.
Signs of dehydration include sleepiness, fatigue and drowsiness and if you're dehydrated you're much less likely to get a good night's sleep as your body disrupts your sleep cycle.
Which is why hydration expert and co-founder of ViDrate, Nick Hird weighs in with his 5 expert tips to ensure you're hitting your sleep and hydration goals.
Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. Make sure you're drinking the recommended amount of water every day to stay hydrated as this helps you sleep better. Dehydration can cause your nasal passages and mouth to become dry which can lead to snoring which can disrupt your sleep.
Nick's top tip: "You should always drink to thirst, if your mouth is dry then make sure you have a glass of water straight away."
Don't drink anything too close to your bedtime. We recommend avoiding drinking water or any other fluids at least an hour before you go to sleep as this prevents your body waking up to urinate and interrupting your sleep cycle. It’s important that you stay hydrated consistently throughout the day.
Nick's top tip: "A glass of milk at least 60 minutes prior to sleep is a good idea as it helps promote muscle recovery and repair - this is especially important for children, as they need the added calcium in their diet."
Avoid coffee and alcohol before bed. If you do need a drink before you go to bed - make sure it’s not coffee or alcohol, as both as these are diuretics so make your kidneys work harder, which can cause dehydration and therefore wake you up in the middle of the night.
Nick's top tip: "Caffeine half life can range from 3-7 hours, therefore a flat white or late afternoon caffeine hit is a bad idea as it will result in caffeine metabolites still in your circulation when you go to sleep - and this doesn’t help with sleep quality and latency.
"Alcohol also disrupts sleep quality, so even if you feel like you've had a good night's sleep after a night on the booze, you most likely didn't."
Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. While we are sleeping we use water and therefore may wake up dehydrated. Having a glass of water as soon as you wake up helps replace your water loss immediately and kick starts your hydration for the day.
Nick's top tip: "A good way to monitor your hydration is through the colour of your urine. If your urine is dark yellow then you are most likely dehydrated and this should be a signal for you to drink more fluids."
Make sure you get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can cause dehydration and research by scientists* has revealed that sleeping less than 6 hours is associated with inadequate hydration.
Nick's top tip: "If you’re struggling to sleep, try increasing your water intake throughout the day and make sure your urine is a pale yellow colour rather than a dark yellow."
Nick comments on the key benefits of drinking water:
"Around 60% of our body is made up from water and our blood is 90% water but despite this, drinking water isn’t at the top of many peoples list of priorities. There are so many benefits of drinking water and being hydrated. Not only will you sleep better, you will also be able to think clearer and it regulates your body temperature.
"Your body gives you many warning signs that you are dehydrated, besides the obvious feeling thirsty. Dark urine, feeling tired more than usual and finding it difficult to concentrate on everyday tasks are all signs that you aren’t drinking enough water.
A simple and quick tip is to have a bottle of water filled up and with you all day, whether that be in your home office, out for a walk, or next to you in bed. Drinking to thirst throughout the day is ideal."
ViDrate have also just launched a new Night Time hydration powder, which contains zero sugar and natural ingredients, so no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners or preservatives.
The powder also contains electrolytes, L-Theanine and 5HTP which are proven to aid sleep.
ViDrate recommends having the Night Time powder at around 7-8pm to help achieve a good night’s sleep, helping you rest and recover.
Sources
*https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/42/2/zsy210/5155420
