[Lifestyle] To avoid waking up at night.. what do you drink and when?

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Waking up in the middle of the night under pressure from the need to urinate, is a problem that disturbs the sleep of many. Although drinking fluids late in the evening is not in itself harmful to health, getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom may interfere with general sleep quality and well-being.

 

 

And the “Deutsche Welle” (DW) website had reported earlier, that a study conducted in Boston, in the United States, on more than 5,000 people, indicated that “waking up to go to the bathroom during the night may be associated with an increased likelihood of symptoms of depression,” which makes us resort to To the experts to learn about solutions to this problem.

The problem with drinking time
A spokeswoman for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Amy Braganini, addresses the “impact of drinking more fluids late in the day”; She tells the HuffingtonPost that while it is important to drink enough fluids to keep the body hydrated (15.5 cups per day for men, and 11.5 cups for women, according to nutrition experts), most people don't achieve this, or perhaps do, but in time. inappropriate. She explained that "the problem is not in how much we drink, but in the timing of drinking," and how close or far it is from the time to go to bed.

Drinking different fluids all the time affects the sleep cycle, and waking up to go to the toilet becomes one of the results of drinking caffeinated drinks in the evening, or drinking a large glass of water right before bed. So, Braganini advises, "stop drinking most types of fluids at least two hours before bedtime."

 

 

When to stop drinking fluids
To get a good night's sleep, experts suggest a specific time period to stop drinking these fluids, in the afternoon and into the evening.

Caffeinated drinks
Although we often drink coffee or any other caffeinated beverage to combat the bouts of drowsiness that haunt us in the afternoon, sleep neurologist Chris Winter warns, “The more caffeine you drink later, the more it affects your sleep.” Ingesting more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (the equivalent of about 4 cups of coffee), can cause you to sleep and become dehydrated.

"Caffeine can act as a stimulant, reducing the depth of sleep and affecting the duration of sleep," Braganini adds. Therefore, research suggests that "it's a good idea to stop drinking caffeine at least 6 hours before bed" if we want to get a good night's sleep.

 

 

 

Juices and sugary drinks
It is not recommended to drink a lot of sugary liquids - such as soft drinks or juices - at any time of the day in general, and before bed in particular; Consuming more sugar leads to the risk of weight gain and tooth decay.

Braganini adds that eating sugary fluids in the evening “raises blood sugar, which stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin, which in turn allows glucose to enter cells to provide energy, and to keep you awake at night.” She says it's best to "avoid sugary drinks at least two hours before bed."

dairy
It's common that drinking a glass of warm milk in the evening can help sleep, especially for older adults, "as milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that may cause drowsiness," according to the Huffington Post.

But Braganini says that "research on the benefits of drinking milk before bed is limited, and some researchers urge caution about eating dairy products before bed," because it can increase the risk of acid reflux, which causes stomach acid to flow into the esophagus.

Therefore, expert Chris Winter considers that "to stop eating dairy products at least two hours before bed is a good option for most people."

 

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