Struggling to sleep? This could be the simple way to improve your shut-eye

Sleep as a parent is a rare, magical luxury.

Gone are the days that you sleep-in until 10 am or take a four-hour nap during the day to catch up on your night's sleep after hours of partying.

That's why when we do get some much-needed rest, it's vital we get the best quality of sleep.

However, a new study has shown that if you're not sleeping well, it could be down to simply not drinking enough water.

Of course, not all sleep issues are linked to the lack of hydration and could be a sign of a more serious condition, and you should speak to your doctor if it persists.

But for the majority of us, scientists at Penn State University, Pennsylvania said that drinking more fluids could really help the quality of our sleep.

They studied 2,000 adults in China and the US and analysed their sleep and urine.

The study published in the journal, SLEEP, concluded that those who slept for six hours a night had significantly more concentrated urine and were more dehydrated.

Whereas those who regularly got the recommended amount of eight hours of shut-eye a night were more hydrated.

So if you want those two hours of extra sleep, it might be a good idea to drink some extra water.

The experts said that a hormone, vasopressin was linked to sleep quality and hydration.

"Vasopressin is released both more quickly and later on in the sleep cycle," said lead author, Asher Rosinger.

"So, if you're waking up earlier, you might miss that window in which more of the hormone is released, causing a disruption in the body's hydration."

"If you are only getting six hours of sleep a night, it can affect your hydration status," added the assistant professor at Penn State.

"This study suggests that if you're not getting enough sleep, and you feel bad or tired the next day, drink extra water."

So we will definitely be keeping a glass of water beside our bed.

Latest

Trending