Ask the Expert: How to Prevent Dehydration During Sleep?

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for good health. 

But while we’re resting, our need for water isn’t taking a break. Breathing, sweating, and digestion all use the water in our bodies as we sleep. And, if you set your thermostat high, a warm bedroom can lead to more water loss through sweating.

What you do all day also affects your sleep. Enjoying alcohol or caffeinated drinks without drinking enough water creates a higher risk for dehydration during sleep. And once your head hits the pillow, you risk experiencing painful leg cramps and waking up with a dry throat and mouth.

Dr. Joshua Thurman: “If your last drink is with dinner, then certainly your urine will be more concentrated and you run a greater risk of being dehydrated during sleep. Drinking at night is just an annoyance since it will make you more likely to wake up and have to pee.” 

How to Stay Hydrated at Night

So, don’t go to bed thirsty. Make sure you’re drinking enough water from the time you wake up until you turn in. That’s a minimum of 64 ounces a day for an adult; more if you’re exercising or live in a hot or dry environment.  

For those with medical issues, the challenge to stay hydrated at night is even more critical. 

“It is important for some people, such as those with kidney stones, to keep their urine dilute. This can be hard to do at night because we do not drink while we are asleep. During sleep, the kidneys maintain the water balance by concentrating the urine.  For older men with enlarged prostates it is already a burden that they wake up at night to urinate because they are unable to completely empty their bladders,” adds Dr. Thurman 

For all of us, once you’re awake, you may have a hard time getting back to sleep, which will affect your productivity in the morning. 

Avoid dehydration at night by adding the world’s smartest water bottle to your nightstand. Choose from HidrateSpark PRO, TAP, or LEGACY series water bottles to keep your hydration on track throughout the night. You can easily sip and track how much you drink when your bottle is paired with the HidrateSpark App. Wake up a little more hydrated and feeling better. 

About our Expert

Dr. Joshua Thurman, MD is a board-certified nephrologist and Professor of Medicine specializing in renal medical diseases and hypertension at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and his undergraduate degree from Harvard University. He has been in practice for more than 22 years.