To be in good shape all day, an adult would need on average 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep can be the source of many health hazards. A new study from the State University of Pennsylvania (United States) adds a risk to the long list of disorders it causes: that of dehydration. Their results, published on November 5 in the journal SLEEP, suggest that adults who sleep barely six hours a night are more likely to become dehydrated.
Three samples from American and Chinese adults were analyzed as part of the study. In total, more than 20,000 participants were asked about their sleep habits. Their urine samples were also analyzed. And it turned out that adults who reported sleeping 6 hours a night had significantly more concentrated urine, but mostly a 16-59% higher probability of insufficient hydration than adults sleeping 8 hours.
Vasopressin, responsible for hydrating the body
In fact, this lack of hydration is linked to the hormonal system. To regulate hydration in the body, a hormone called vasopressin is released throughout the day and night. However, vasopressin is released faster and later in the sleep cycle. Asher Rosinger, senior author and assistant professor of biological health and anthropology at Pennsylvania State University, explains in a press release from the establishment : “If you wake up earlier, you may miss this window in which more hormone is released, which disrupts the hydration of the body”.
Thereby, “If you only get six hours of sleep a night, it can affect your hydration level, he says. This study suggests that if you don’t get enough sleep and feel unwell or tired the next day, drink extra water ”. As soon as you feel thirsty, the body is already 5% dehydrated. The color of urine is also an indicator: if it is clear, the level of hydration is sufficient. Dehydration affects many functions of the body. It plays on cognition, mood or physical performance. In the long term, it can even lead to more serious problems, such as urinary tract infections and kidney stones.
Read also :
- Sleep: 5 signs that show you’re really craving
- Infographic: what lack of sleep is doing to your body
- Hydration: to be in shape, 4 to 6 glasses of water per day are sufficient
