By Dr. Andy Galpin

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There is a MAJOR sleep mistake that far too many people make.

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People know “hydration is important” so they smash water. 

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But if it makes you wake up 3x a night to pee (“nocturia”), you’re stepping over a dollar to pick up a penny. 

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Frequency Assessment:

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0 = goal. 

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1x per night = OK. 

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>1 = problem. 

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So, here’s how you do it…

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1. Regulate total fluid intake. Start at 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces (so if you're 200 lbs, that would be 100 oz of water). Titrate and experiment from there.

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2. Bias fluid intake towards the beginning of the day. Working out earlier helps this greatly (rather than at night), if possible.

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Try to just sip to need within the 3 hr prior to sleep. Again, everyone is different, so adjust accordingly here.

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3. Consider other factors such as diet type, salt, electrolytes, work/lifestyle, ambient temperature, and humidity, etc. Adjust based on these.

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More is not better. Precision is better.

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Everything is everything, and there are no free passes in physiology.

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Now, if you're waking up frequently to urinate and you AREN'T drinking excessive water (especially late), it's probably a good idea to get checked out as you may have medical and/or sleep issues.

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