Comments on: Waking up dehydrated

Question: Waking up dehydrated

LSK — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:21:57 -0800

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?

By: fairytale of los angeles

fairytale of los angeles — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:29:42 -0800

Are you sleeping with your mouth open/ having problems getting air through your nose in your sleep? That'll dry you right out.

By: LSK

LSK — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:36:41 -0800

I sleep with my mouth closed.

By: IAmBroom

IAmBroom — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:41:10 -0800

Fan on in your room? Does it to me.

By: LSK

LSK — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:44:20 -0800

Nope, no fan. Doesn't happen while awake.

By: Miko

Miko — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:44:29 -0800

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.

By: LSK

LSK — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:47:33 -0800

My entire body feels dry. It feels a bit more normal after a shower.

By: wigglin

wigglin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:48:04 -0800

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.

By: wigglin

wigglin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:53:31 -0800

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.

By: salvia

salvia — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:54:31 -0800

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.

By: damn dirty ape

damn dirty ape — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:10:15 -0800

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?

By: damn dirty ape

damn dirty ape — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:11:51 -0800

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.

By: hal_c_on

hal_c_on — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:18:30 -0800

Wait...heres a question:

Are your EYES dry when you awake?

By: quirks

quirks — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:34:55 -0800

Do you use skin lotion?

By: arianell

arianell — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:54:34 -0800

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.

By: misha

misha — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:59:40 -0800

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.

By: mikeh

mikeh — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:47:33 -0800

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.

By: matildaben

matildaben — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:57:13 -0800

I'm not the OP, but my eyes are dry when I wake up, so I'm curious about the answers to this question.