Does Drinking Water Before Bed Affect Health? Doctors Tell You the Truth!

Does Drinking Water Before Bed Affect Health? Doctors Tell You the Truth!"Old Mrs. Zhang, you're here again so late? Is this another bout of back pain?" Doctor Chen wiped his hands, sighing

Does Drinking Water Before Bed Affect Health? Doctors Tell You the Truth!

"Old Mrs. Zhang, you're here again so late? Is this another bout of back pain?" Doctor Chen wiped his hands, sighing. "No, it's not my back." Mrs. Zhang shook her head, panting, "My heart is racing, and my legs are weak. I even vomited this afternoon." Doctor Chen, with his usual furrowed brow, began his examination.

Meanwhile, five kilometers away in a regular residential neighborhood, Mrs. Zhang's neighbor, young IT engineer Li Xiaoming, was battling a mountain of dirty clothes at home. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find Mrs. Zhang standing there, pale and with vacant eyes. "Xiao Li, do you have any water? I suddenly feel unwell. My heart is beating really fast, and my head is spinning." Mrs. Zhang said, collapsing onto the sofa in Li Xiaoming's home. Li Xiaoming hurriedly offered her a glass of warm water. Mrs. Zhang gulped it down and felt slightly better after a while, but her complexion remained poor. "Mrs. Zhang, did you drink a lot of water tonight?" Li Xiaoming, though not a doctor, often read health information online and felt that Mrs. Zhang's problem might be related to water. Mrs. Zhang chuckled wryly, "Yes, I ate something salty tonight. I was so thirsty, and I accidentally drank several large glasses of water. I didn't expect to feel so bad now." Li Xiaoming, upon hearing this, muttered to himself, could it be because of the water she drank? He quickly called Dr. Wang, the community doctor in the neighborhood, and described Mrs. Zhang's situation. Dr. Wang, after listening, told Li Xiaoming to take Mrs. Zhang to the hospital right away.

After sending Mrs. Zhang off, Li Xiaoming's heart was heavy. He suddenly realized that he also had a habit of drinking a lot of water, especially before bed. To prevent thirst during the night, he would always drink a large glass of water. Thinking back to Mrs. Zhang's situation, he couldn't help but feel a little scared. Could his habit be problematic? He decided to go to the hospital and consult Dr. Chen the next morning.

The next day, Li Xiaoming went to the hospital early in the morning and happened to meet Dr. Chen who had just finished his morning shift. He poured out his worries to Dr. Chen. Dr. Chen listened with a smile, shook his head, and patted Li Xiaoming on the shoulder, "Young man, it seems you were also scared by Mrs. Zhang last night. Actually, you don't have to worry too much, but drinking water before bed does have some issues, let me explain thoroughly." Dr. Chen continued, "Do you know, drinking a lot of water before bed, especially a large amount of water in a short time, can indeed cause some health problems. For example, excessive water increases nighttime urination, leading to frequent trips to the bathroom, affecting sleep quality. Insufficient sleep can have adverse effects on various bodily systems, especially the cardiovascular system."

"You see, when you're sleep-deprived, your body's stress hormone, like cortisol, increases, which can lead to high blood pressure and a faster heart rate. Long-term high cortisol levels can also lead to other health problems, like weakened immunity, and even may increase the risk of metabolic diseases." Li Xiaoming nodded vigorously, and his doubts about his bedtime drinking habit started to grow. Dr. Chen went on, "Especially for older people like Mrs. Zhang, kidney function naturally starts to decline. If they drink too much water before bed, their body's ability to regulate water decreases, which may cause electrolyte imbalance in the body, leading to symptoms like heart palpitations and dizziness."

Hearing this, Li Xiaoming couldn't help but think of his own frequent insomnia. As an IT engineer, long hours and late-night work were commonplace. He always attributed his insomnia to work pressure, but now he started to wonder if it could be linked to his bedtime drinking habit.

Seeing Li Xiaoming's changing expressions, Dr. Chen continued, "Xiaoming, insomnia is really related to many factors, work pressure is one, but diet and lifestyle are also important aspects. For example, the kidneys play a vital role in regulating water balance and blood pressure. If their function is impaired, it may cause increased nighttime urination, frequent trips to the bathroom, ultimately leading to insomnia." Li Xiaoming was surprised to learn that insomnia was so closely related to kidney function. He asked with some confusion, "So, doctor, does poor kidney function necessarily lead to insomnia? Is there any way to improve it?"

Dr. Chen smiled, then explained, "Poor kidney function can indeed cause insomnia, but it is not absolute. Improving kidney function and reducing frequent nighttime urination can help improve sleep. You can take some measures, like reducing your water intake at night, avoiding caffeine-rich drinks, and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule." He paused and continued, "Of course, the most important thing is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, avoid excessive work stress and long-term late-night work, as these can burden the kidneys. According to recent research, around 30% of those who stay up late for long periods experience varying degrees of kidney function decline, which can also be a reason for insomnia."

Li Xiaoming couldn't help but be surprised, this data made him even more alert. Images of his busy daily work started to play in his mind - those late-night work sessions, and that habitual large glass of water he drank every night. It seemed everything was silently laying the groundwork for his insomnia and health issues. "Doctor, are there any real-life cases to help me understand the seriousness of this issue better?" Li Xiaoming suddenly thought, he wanted to know more specific information about this.

Dr. Chen nodded thoughtfully and told Li Xiaoming about a case he had personally handled. "I once treated a 40-year-old IT engineer, just like you. Due to work pressure, he worked late frequently, had irregular eating habits, and liked to drink several glasses of water before bed. At first, he just felt that he went to the bathroom more at night, but gradually, it progressed to needing to get up four or five times at night, which caused him to be sluggish during the day, and his work efficiency declined."

"When he came to me, his main symptoms were severe insomnia and fatigue. After a series of tests, we found that his kidney function had begun to decline, and his electrolyte balance had also become problematic. Ultimately, by adjusting his lifestyle, including limiting his water intake at night, going to bed and waking up early, and maintaining a regular diet, after a few months, his symptoms improved significantly, and his insomnia was also alleviated." After listening, Li Xiaoming made up his mind, he decided to change his habits starting today, reduce his water intake before bed, and try to adjust his sleep schedule. Before parting, Dr. Chen reminded him, "Xiaoming, remember, drinking water before bed in moderation is okay, but don't overdo it, especially don't consume too much water in a short time. Also, try to maintain a regular lifestyle, the kidneys are a vital organ, don't wait until something goes wrong to regret it."

Li Xiaoming nodded understandingly, leaving the hospital with gratitude and determination.

Do you think drinking water before bed has any impact? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

References

[1] Ye Yi. Some "Good" Habits Should Be Changed [N]. Health Times, 2006-03-27.

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