Adults who sleep just six hours a night — as opposed to eight — may have a higher chance of becoming dehydrated, according to a new Penn State study. These findings suggest that those who feel unwell after a night of poor sleep may want to consider dehydration – not just poor sleep as the cause, and drink more water.
Researchers looked at how sleep affected hydration status and risk of dehydration in American and Chinese adults. In both populations, adults who reported getting six hours of sleep had significantly more concentrated urine and a 16-59 percent higher chance of being underhydrated compared to adults who slept eight hours at night on a regular basis. The cause was linked to the way the body's hormonal system regulates hydration.
A hormone called vasopressin is released to help regulate the body's hydration status. It is released throughout the day, as well as during the nighttime sleep hours, which is what the researchers focused on for this study.
Dehydration negatively affects many of the body's systems and functions, including cognition, mood, physical performance, and others. Prolonged or chronic dehydration can lead to more serious problems, such as a higher risk of urinary tract infections and kidney stones.
"Getting only six hours of sleep a night can affect your hydration status," the researcher said. “This study suggests that if you don't get enough sleep and you feel bad or tired the next day, you should drink extra water.”
