Why Are We Thirsty Before We Sleep?

Glass of water (photo by Kate St.John)
Tall glass of water (photo by Kate St.John)

10 October 2016

Have you noticed that you’re thirsty before you go to sleep?  Why is that?

A recent study published in the journal Nature might not provide the answer for humans but it sounds plausible to me.

Researchers at McGill University noticed that two hours before they went to sleep mice drank more water than they actually needed.  The scientists restricted access to water before bedtime and the mice became dehydrated while they slept.  Obviously drinking water ahead of time is a survival mechanism.

Pet mouse taking a drink (photo from Wikimedia Commons)

But how did the mice know to drink so much?  Using ingenious tests the research team found that the animal’s biological clock was sending a “drink water” signal to the brain’s thirst center.

I’ll bet this is true of humans, too.  My biological clocks says, “Drink water” and so I do.

Read more about the study here in Science Daily.

(photo by Kate St. John)

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