We hear it all the time “make sure you are drinking enough water”, “stay hydrated”. Dehydration can have a negative impact on our health during the day, but it can also impact your sleep. People who are moderately dehydrated can have a harder time falling and staying asleep. The National Sleep Foundation explains the following:
Dehydration’s Negative Effects Going to bed even mildly dehydrated can disrupt your sleep. Surprised? Dehydration causes your mouth and nasal passages to become dry, setting you up for sleep-disruptive snoring and a parched throat and hoarseness in the morning.
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A lack of pre-bed fluids can also lead to nocturnal leg cramps that may keep you awake. In addition to the frustration of fragmented sleep, being dehydrated during night can compromise your alertness, energy, and cognitive performance the following day. Sleep-Related Fluid Loss Even if you start the night reasonably well-hydrated, you’ll lose some body fluids simply by breathing while you sleep. This is especially true if you breathe through your mouth, snore or have sleep apnea. (If you breathe through your nose while you slumber, you won’t lose nearly as much water from your body.) An overly dry or warm bedroom can also lead to extra fluid loss during the night, as can a late-day intense exercise session without sufficient rehydration. Drinking excessive alcohol can exacerbate these fluid-compromising scenarios, which in turn can cause you to feel tired or lethargic the next day.
I recently met with Holistic Nutritionist, Tina Gravalos and she has answered some of the top questions I had about water. She has also shared a few great recipes!
How much water do we need to drink each day?
Your body is 60% water! So naturally, it would make sense to say that water is so crucial in nourishing every single cell in your body. We often hear that we should drink at least 2L every day, which is about 8 cups of water. That can vary depending on if you’re very active (the more you sweat, the more you need to drink), breastfeeding, etc. You can monitor how much water you personally need to drink by looking at the colour of your urine. Think of it like this, if your urine is on the clearer side/pale yellow, you’re in the clear meaning you’re likely drinking enough. If your urine is any sort of brighter yellow, drink up!
Does that amount increase if we drink tea or coffee?
Yes and no. It all depends on the quality of your coffee. A lot of coffee contains common mold toxins that are called ochratoxin A. When your body recognizes this toxin, it wants to protect you so it tries to push the toxin out by diluting it. It does this by pulling water into your kidneys and bladder. This process sends a message to your body to tell it to go pee even if your bladder isn’t full. The general rule has been for every cup of coffee, you should drink a cup of water. I still do this! If you don’t know where your coffee is coming from, I would still recommend this principle.
Is warm water better than cold water?
Warm water/room temperature water is definitely better than cold water. Warm water increases blood flow which is important for your digestive tract to run smoothly. The warmth helps to open up channels that move around important nutrients and help with removing waste more efficiently.
Can you give us some recipes to change up our water and make it more flavourful?
Chia seeds + lemon
This is one of my absolute favourite recipes to share with clients. Chia seeds pack a serious nutritious punch. They don’t call them a superfood for nothing! What I love the most about chia seeds is that they are a great source of fiber. Thrown into the mix with lemon water, which is great for aiding in digestion, detoxification, glowing skin, boosting energy, how can you go wrong? Recipe: 2 cups water 1-2 tbsp. chia seeds ¼ cup lemon juice Grab a mason jar and add all the ingredients in. Let the chia seed sit for about 5 minutes before drinking. They will swell, which we want!
Cinnamon sticks + apple slices
Cinnamon is great for balancing blood sugar which is an awesome option to sip on throughout the day to reduce cravings. Recipe: 2 cups water 1-2 cinnamon sticks Half an apple, sliced Grab a mason jar and add all the ingredients in.
Mint + lime + blueberry
I love all things mint! Mint is a great herb that aids in digestion and also provides a little bit of sweetness to your water. Mint can also help to settle your stomach after a meal. This water combo reminds me of a mojito! I like to add in blueberries for a touch of sweetness and also to eat after. Blueberries are a great source of antioxidants. Recipe: 2 cups water Handful of mint leaves 1 lime, sliced Handful of blueberries Grab a mason jar and add all the ingredients in. *If you have a big water bottle you like to carry around, increase the amount of water in each recipe. There is no wrong way to go about the ingredients in each recipe!
Tina Gravalos is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner (CNP), also known as a Holistic Nutritionist, and a Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner (RNCP), who graduated with honours from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition. She is a passionate advocate for all things holistic wellness, with an interest in pediatric, digestive, preventative and women’s health and wellness. Tina believes that there is a strong urgency in educating people on the importance of nourishing their bodies, with quality foods and lifestyle practices, to be the healthiest version of themselves. She also believes in getting to the root cause of an individual’s health concerns by assessing them as a whole, from nutritional choices to lifestyle choices, and everything in-between. Website: www.tinagravalos.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/tinagravalos
