Why You Should Never Drink Too Much Water Before Bed

This is the only time you shouldn’t be drinking water. And the reason why is actually quite logical.

Water is one of the most critical elements to the human body. When you don’t sip enough H2O, your body becomes dehydrated — which leads you to feel weak and decreases motivation — you may feel like you’re always hungry, and, surprisingly, it could make you look puffier. That’s because your body attempts to hold onto every last drop of water it can when you’re dehydrated, which can make you look like you’ve put on extra weight. And no one likes the sound of that when you’re trying to lose 10 pounds.

For these reasons, one of our top weight-loss tips at Eat This, Not That! is to do your body a favor and grab a reusable water bottle. Fill it up and drink up. Dietitian Jim White, RD, ACSM recommends the standard 64 ounces of water a day, or eight 8-ounce glasses.

By drinking the recommended intake, your weight loss goal becomes more attainable. Sufficient water intake has the ability to boost your metabolism, help you feel fuller longer, and even keep your energy levels at an all-time high. A recent review published in the journal Obesity found that women on four widely different but popular diets all experienced greater weight loss when drinking more water.

But, here’s the thing: there is a right and wrong time to quench your thirst.

It was completely intentional that drinking water wasn’t placed on our list of 30 Things to Do Before Bed to Lose Weight. Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE explains “If you drink too much before bed, you may find yourself waking up multiple times in the middle for the night to urinate.”

And just like water, sleep is known to be a key factor in obtaining your weight loss goals. The recommended 6-8 hours really make a difference in our lives. As a matter of fact, the Sleep Research Society figured out that those who slept too little (5-6 hours) and those who slept too much (9-10 hours) were prone to have an increased risk of weight gain and, even worse, fat gain.

Palinski-Wade offers a simple solution — cut back on our favorite zero-calorie beverage roughly three hours before you plan on hitting the sheets. Within this time frame, your body will be able to process and you’ll use the restroom before it interrupts your beauty sleep.

Eat This! Tip:

Wake up, and start your day with a nice big glass of H2O. Now you only have seven more to go! By continuing to stay hydrated you’ll experience benefits left and right. From clearer skin to an increase in energy your body will be thanking you. And if you’re planning on turning off the lights around 11 pm, slow down around 8 pm to give your body enough time to process the water and allow yourself a restful seven hours of sleep. Next thing you know, your morning alarm is going off and it’s time to start all over again!