Dehydration: How Does it Influence Sleep and Snoring?

Water: it’s essential for life as we know it. 

We all understand the importance of getting enough water intake every day, as it is so critical to the function of almost every body system. But have you ever thought about how neglecting to drink enough water might impact your sleep – or even cause snoring?

KEY INSIGHTS

• Hydration is critical to regulating body temperature and a myriad of other physiological functions. 

• Dehydration occurs when the body’s output of fluid exceeds its intake, leaving the body with insufficient fluids to function properly.

• Sleep quality and water intake are intricately linked; you need to optimise your water intake during the day, but take care with how much you drink close to bedtime.

• Being dehydrated can impact the sleep-wake cycle, overall sleep duration and quality, and cause snoring.

• Optimise your sleep and minimise snoring by hydrating adequately during the day, having a small drink of water an hour before bedtime, and using the right snoring treatment, such as SnoreMD.

Did You Know?

• The average human adult’s body comprises 50%-75% water.

• We lose approximately a litre of water from the body each night while we sleep via the breath.

• People who have a low fluid intake feel noticeably calmer and more positive when they increase their water consumption.

• Drinking warm water increases blood circulation, increases sweating, helps the body detoxify, and improves digestion. It can also alleviate cramps, prevent headaches, and keep you hydrated through the night. 

• Research suggests that not getting enough sleep can also cause dehydration.

(Sources 1, 2)

What is Dehydration?

Dehydration occurs when the body uses or loses more water and other fluids than it takes in. If this occurs, there is not enough fluid in the body for it to function properly. 

While anyone can become dehydrated, the condition is most serious in infants, small children, and seniors (who have a lower volume of water in the body).

Common causes of dehydration include:

• Vomiting/diarrhoea
• Illnesses that cause a fever
• Use of diuretics (water pills)
• Not drinking enough water, especially in hot or humid weather
• Exercising/being active in the heat
• Undiagnosed/uncontrolled diabetes

If not promptly treated, dehydration can lead to heat injury, kidney/urinary problems, low blood volume, or seizures. Mild or moderate dehydration is usually fixed by drinking more fluids (ideally, plain water). Severe dehydration is a medical emergency.

Symptoms of dehydration may include extreme thirst, having dark-coloured urine or urinating less, tiredness, headaches, dizziness, confusion, sunken cheeks or eyes, or skin that doesn’t immediately bounce back when pinched. Infants or young children may also lack energy, be irritable, have a rapid heart rate, or have no tears when crying.

Being dehydrated can: 

• Affect mood, leading to feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed.
• Cause headaches
• Cause a dry, sore throat
• Thicken mucous
• Cause leg cramps, especially at night
• Cause weight problems
• Cause or worsen snoring

How Does Dehydration Impact Sleep?

For healthy adults, a good night’s sleep is a stretch of 7-9 hours. This may seem like a long time to go without drinking anything, but when our daytime water intake is adequate and the body is functioning properly, most of us don’t become dehydrated. This is because the brain releases a hormone called vasopressin during sleep; this helps the body retain water. 

Dehydration can, regardless, disrupt sleep, and poor quality sleep can also cause dehydration. Scientists believe this is because sleep disruptions interfere with vasopressin release. Chronic sleep deprivation also likely inhibits optimal kidney function, making the body less able to properly regulate its water levels.

How Does Dehydration Cause Snoring?

A dry mouth and throat are among the first signs of thirst and the need to hydrate. These can become very irritating, and the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat can become inflamed in response, which can lead to snoring. Moreover, during sleep, dehydration also causes mucous in the airways (including the mouth and throat) to thicken; this, in turn, makes them more likely to stick together, become blocked, and cause snoring. 

What About Drinking TOO MUCH Water?

Yes, it is possible to drink too much water. This has its own issues, both in terms of your sleep and medically. 

Too much water intake before bed can cause nocturia, which is the increased need to urinate during the night. This is more common as we get older, especially in men, who often also have contributory prostate issues. Getting up more than once throughout the night to go to the bathroom is detrimental to both quality and duration of sleep and, of chronic, can eventually lead to other medical issues.

Drinking too much water can also contribute to nightmares, sleep paralysis, and insomnia; in this case, these are all a result of sleep disruption.

How Much Water Intake is “Just Right”?

Everyone is different, and our bodies may require different amounts of water to function optimally. This will also be influenced by factors such as lifestyle, diet, physical activity, age, overall health, medications, and medical issues. 

The average adult needs to drink approximately 2 litres of water daily; this may need to be more when it is hot or humid or when one is exercising, breastfeeding, or unwell. A good guide to how much water you should be drinking each day is enough that your urine is consistently a light, almost clear yellow in colour. (Note that first thing in the morning, it will likely be darker). 

Tips for Getting a Better Night’s Sleep

Getting plenty of water during the daytime supports healthier sleep.

• Have a glass of water first thing in the morning upon waking. 

• Aim to increase your water intake to 8 x 250ml glasses per day. (Note that this includes tea, coffee, and other fluids, but that caffeine can negate the effects due to its diuretic properties (making you need to urinate more) and that sugary sodas, fruit juices, and alcoholic beverages are not healthy or particularly hydrating options.

• Carry a water bottle with you. If you don’t enjoy the taste of plain water, try carbonated water or flavour your water with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, berries, or mint leaves.

• Eat hydrating foods such as watermelon, apples, pears, oranges, zucchini, cucumber, and spinach.

• Limit caffeine and alcohol and avoid nicotine.

• Try to drink most of your fluids during the day and early in the evening, so that you are not as likely to have disrupted sleep due to needing to urinate.

• An hour or so before bed, having a small cup (no more than 250ml) of chamomile tea or a similar warm drink (but not black tea, coffee, or hot chocolate/cocoa) can help promote a good night’s sleep and keep you hydrated throughout the night.

• During summer and on hot, especially humid nights, have a glass of water by the bed to sip if you wake feeling thirsty. 

• Prevent nighttime sweating – wear light cotton pyjamas (or sleep naked), use cotton or linen sheets, use a fan or air conditioning if it’s hot, and see your GP if night sweats are an issue for you.

• Check with your GP about whether an electrolyte supplement is appropriate for you. These replace essential salts that can be lost during sweating and dehydration, but be aware that it is a very fine balance, and too much salt can also cause dehydration. 

• Optimise your sleep schedule and sleep hygiene.

• Manage snoring.

What’s the Best Anti-Snoring Device?

Adequate water intake is just part of the equation when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Preventing snoring is also important, and using the right snoring aids has an important role to play if you snore.

SnoreMD is arguably the best snoring treatment in Australia. Cost-effective, comfortable, washable, and reusable, this patented, biomedically engineered anti-snoring device is worn in the mouth while you sleep. The principle of how it works is beautifully simple: by moving the lower jaw slightly forward (to the position that’s right for you), it effectively opens the airways, enabling better airflow and preventing the soft tissue vibrations that cause snoring.  

Take a closer look at how SnoreMD works. 

Take back some control over the quality of your sleep for better health and wellbeing – order your SnoreMD today.  (And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @snoremd_au for our latest news and fun snippets!)