Water plays a major role in our lives. It carries nutrients to all cells in our body and oxygen to our brain. Water allows the body to absorb and assimilate minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other substances. Depending on several factors, a human can survive for more than three weeks without food but can only survive without water for about 3 days. In order to keep ourselves hydrated, some of us have the habit of leaving a glass of water next to our beds, just in case we get thirsty at night.
While the idea is thought to be beneficial by many, based on several factors, it can actually be bad for you. Here, we are listing a few reasons as to why you should not keep a glass of water near you overnight!
By leaving it overnight, the glass of water becomes more susceptible to different kinds of invaders.
If you think about it, when you leave a glass of water open, you are allowing it to become exposed to environmental factors. For instance, tiny dust particles will land on it, basically contaminating it. There’s also a good chance that mosquitoes, flies or any other insects can end up in it. If you are taking a sip in the middle of the night, you might not notice all these contaminants.
Depending on the room temperature, the water can become stale in less than half an hour.
Tap water comes in through pipes underground, where it is generally cooler. And plenty of us then add ice or drink refrigerated water. As water rises to room temperature, its aroma and bouquet, will increase. The warmer the drink, the faster the molecules are bouncing around, and the stronger the aroma. Also remember that tap water contains chlorine that’s added for disinfection. Chlorine is a gas at room temperature, and in water it’s a “volatile solute” meaning its molecules are diffused in the water, and it will escape into the air over time. This is also one of the reasons why you feel like the water tastes a bit stale.
Over time, the glass of water becomes slightly more acidic.
Dissolved gases are another part of the taste. As water sits out, small amounts of carbon dioxide dissolve into the water. This forms carbonic acid, which may lower the pH just slightly and thus altering the taste of the water. While it has no side effects, the glass of water can be a bit unpleasant to consume. Studies also show that with time, tiny amounts of other gases, like acetone and aldehydes, may dissolve in, too. Research shows that if you leave purified water out for even 30 minutes, it quickly becomes impure.
With every sip you take, millions of microbes enter the equation.
The human mouth is full of bacteria because the mouth is a warm, wet environment, and these are perfect conditions for bacteria to reproduce. Consider this: About 800 to 1,000 different types of bacteria may call your mouth “home”. So, with every sip, the amount of germs within the glass of water multiplies, and by leaving it out all night, other factors can help make that number rise to a significant level.
It’s a potential fire hazard since accidental spills can cause electronics to short circuit.
There are many people who have the habit of plugging their phones, watches and other electronic devices overnight so that they will be fully charged by morning. When you place a glass of water next to charging electronic devices and you happen to accidentally knock it over in your sleep, it could cause potential threat to electronics. In some cases, it could even short circuit, which will cause a great deal of damage to your electronic device. At the same time the resulting excessive current flow in the power source through the ‘short’, may even cause the power source to be destroyed.
It can disrupt your sleep cycle.
If you have a glass of water next to you and have one of those days where you simply cannot fall asleep, you might feel the urge to take a couple of sips. By doing so, you also increase your urge to use the bathroom. So, by getting up several times in the middle of the night, you are ruining your sleep cycle, making you feel exhausted the following morning. The recommended 6-8 hours can really make a difference in our lives. According to the Sleep Research Society, cut back on our favorite zero-calorie beverage roughly three hours before you plan on going to bed. Within this time frame, your body will be able to process and you’ll use the bathroom before it interrupts your beauty sleep.