Waking up dehydrated

July 22, 2008 2:21 PM

Waking up dehydrated, why?

I tend to wake up dehydrated, even after a 1-2 hour nap. I can easily say that I drink enough daily, don't have diabetes, don't eat too much sodium, or anything like that which a Google search suggests. I keep water by my bedside, but it's still awkward. Why is this?

posted by LSK to health & fitness (17 comments total)

Are you sleeping with your mouth open/ having problems getting air through your nose in your sleep? That'll dry you right out.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 2:29 PM on July 22, 2008

I sleep with my mouth closed.
posted by LSK at 2:36 PM on July 22, 2008

Fan on in your room? Does it to me.
posted by IAmBroom at 2:41 PM on July 22, 2008

Nope, no fan. Doesn't happen while awake.
posted by LSK at 2:44 PM on July 22, 2008

Do you really mean dehydrated, or do you mean that your mouth feels dry? That's just because you probably sleep deeply and your mouth isn't moving. When people are awake, we constantly lick our lips, purse our lips, move our mouths around, and all that...which keeps the salivary glands working and keeps the mouth moist. If you sleep soundly, and without grinding your teeth, this isn't too surprising. My mouth is always dry when I wake up, and I'm well hydrated too.
posted by Miko at 2:44 PM on July 22, 2008

My entire body feels dry. It feels a bit more normal after a shower.
posted by LSK at 2:47 PM on July 22, 2008

Do you mean your mouth feels dry when you wake up, or are you genuinely dehydrated? If you are waking up with the symptoms of dehydration (headache, muscle cramps, nausea) and you are sure that you are drinking enough water daily, you should see a doctor.

If you mean that your upper respiratory tract feels dry when you wake up, you probably just are sleeping in a dry environment. If that is the case, consider buying a humidifier. Also, if you sleep with a fan on, that might contribute to your drying.
posted by wigglin at 2:48 PM on July 22, 2008

Should have previewed.

Your body "feeling dry" isn't really the same thing as dehydration. Your skin drying out is probably due to the cold and/or dry air in your room. This happens to lots of people, nothing to worry about.
posted by wigglin at 2:53 PM on July 22, 2008

Do you tend to fall asleep shortly after eating, especially lots of protein? That's when I wake up dehydrated. Or (more obviously) if I've been drinking any sort of alcohol, even one glass of wine.
posted by salvia at 2:54 PM on July 22, 2008

A shower cannot rehydrate you. To rehydrate you must drink quite a bit of water over quite a bit of time. Have you tried sleeping with the humidifier on?
posted by damn dirty ape at 3:10 PM on July 22, 2008

Also, I was dehydrated once after a minor illness and I was drinking water like a fool for several days. It really was strange to be always craving large glasses of water. That's what dehydration feels like.
posted by damn dirty ape at 3:11 PM on July 22, 2008

Wait...heres a question:

Are your EYES dry when you awake?
posted by hal_c_on at 3:18 PM on July 22, 2008

Do you use skin lotion?
posted by quirks at 4:34 PM on July 22, 2008

I'm really interested to see what everyone says about this, because I also have this problem (I always wake up EXTREMELY thirsty, no diabetes, good diet).

I've found that it helps to keep a small glass of water by my bed, and to take a few sips right before I fall asleep.
posted by arianell at 4:54 PM on July 22, 2008

Anti-depressants, of course, give you dry mouth, and since when you sleep you aren't drinking anything, it might seem like you only "feel dry" after sleeping (if you are taking anti-depressants, of course).

Also, you might want to have your thyroid checked. That's what contributed to my feeling thirsty so much.
posted by misha at 4:59 PM on July 22, 2008

Is it summer where you are, possibly a humid summer, and you have the air conditioner on? Air conditioning drops the humidity indoors considerably, and if you're used to going outdoors during the day then it can definitely make the shock worse. Wreaks havoc on my sinuses.
posted by mikeh at 5:47 PM on July 22, 2008

I'm not the OP, but my eyes are dry when I wake up, so I'm curious about the answers to this question.
posted by matildaben at 7:57 PM on July 22, 2008