Can Drinking Ice Water Before Bed Help You Lose Weight? 

Table of Contents

• So, Can You Lose Weight By Drinking Ice Water Before Bed?
• Pros and Cons of Drinking Water Before Bed
• Water and Weight Management
• Final Words

Have you heard of the many supposed benefits of drinking ice water before bed to lose weight? If so, you may wonder if these claims are valid and how to incorporate them into your routine. 

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In this article, we will dive deeper into the potential benefits of drinking cold water before bed and if this practice will help you to lose weight. 

So, Can You Lose Weight By Drinking Ice Water Before Bed?

Overall, drinking cold water before bed can indirectly aid with weight loss. More specifically, according to a systematic review published in 2019, drinking water can aid in weight loss most when water is used to replace caloric beverages, such as soda, juice, lemonade, and more. [1]

However, the weight loss benefits of drinking cold water before bed are no different than drinking water at any temperature at any other time of the day.

In fact, no scientific studies or research articles exist on the specific effect or benefit of cold water consumption over different temperatures. 

Therefore, drink cold water at night if you prefer, but there is no need to drink iced water right before bed for weight loss.

Why You May Be Thirsty Before Going to Bed

If you consume high amounts of sodium during the day or do not drink adequate amounts of water throughout the day, you may feel increased thirst at the end of the day. 

Additionally, if you participated in an intense exercise in which you sweat excessively, you may also feel increased thirst due to water loss.

Pros and Cons of Drinking Water Before Bed

Let’s discuss the potential benefits and consequences of drinking water before bed. 

Pros of Drinking Water Before Bed

Drinking water benefits overall health, weight loss, and more. However, no studies focus on drinking water specifically before bed. Therefore, in this section, we will discuss the potential benefits of drinking water at any temperature and any time of the day.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drinking water can help the following [2]: 

• Protecting the spinal cord 
• Lubricating joints 
• Preventing dehydration 
• Regulating body temperature 
• Helping the kidneys eliminate wastes from the body

In other words, adequate water consumption is essential for your body systems (such as the excretory, nervous, or skeletal systems) to function at their best.

To increase your water consumption, here are a few simple tips:

• Carry a reusable water bottle with you throughout the day to always have it near you.
• Fill your diet with foods high in water, such as fruits and vegetables.
• Add different ingredients to your water to make it more fun and exciting. For example, try adding mint, cucumber, lime, lemon, strawberries, basil, and more!
• Keep track of the ounces of water you consume throughout the day by using a water bottle with measurements on it. 

Cons of Drinking Water Before Bed

Drinking water before bed can cause sleep issues since you may wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. The effect of water on your bathroom habits can depend on how much water you drink and at what time before bed you consume it. 

Therefore, it is best to avoid drinking large amounts of water within a few hours before bedtime. However, this will differ from person to person, so look for patterns in your urinary habits at night depending on how much water you drink before bed. 

It’s best, therefore, to drink water throughout the day so you’re not playing catch-up right before bedtime.

Water and Weight Management

So, what about drinking water for weight loss? Whether you are drinking cold, room temperature, or warm water to lose weight, increased water consumption has many potential indirect benefits to weight loss. 

Here are some ways drinking water can aid in weight management.

Can Replace High-Calorie Sweetened Beverages

Drinking water can help you reduce caloric intake if you are accustomed to having sugary and high-calorie beverages throughout the day instead. For reference, a 12-fluid-ounce serving of soda can contain approximately 150 calories. [3] 

Imagine you are drinking one with each meal each day for seven days. That’s about 3000 extra calories consumed per week! Therefore, having just one less sugary beverage each day, such as soda, juice, lemonade, energy drinks, and sweet teas, can significantly benefit weight loss. 

A Good Substitute for Diet Beverages

Interestingly, the effects mentioned above were also found in a study published in the International Journal of Obesity. This study compared the weight loss effects of substituting water for diet beverages. [4] 

Researchers saw more significant weight loss when diet beverages, such as diet soda, were replaced with water after the main meal of the day. Therefore, you can also swap out your diet soda with water or unsweetened tea.

Prevents Dehydration

Drinking adequate amounts of water throughout the day can help to prevent dehydration.. A 2016 study published in the Annals of Family Medicine also found that adults who did not consume enough water had a higher body mass index (BMI) and a higher incidence of obesity. [5] 

Therefore, reducing dehydration may provide benefits to your weight. 

Symptoms of dehydration include mood disruption, constipation, overheating, altered mental status, and more. Therefore, drinking enough water is very important.

Experiencing intense exercise with sweating, vomiting or diarrhea, or fever will further increase your body’s water needs, so make sure to stay hydrated in these situations. Speak with your physician or registered dietitian if you are concerned about your hydration status and for personalized fluid recommendations. 

Final Words

Now, let’s summarize some key takeaways from this article.

• Drinking water is a great way to promote weight loss, especially when it replaces sugary beverages high in calories. This effect may also be found when water is substituted in place of diet beverages. 
• Water also helps cushion joints, protects the nervous system, such as the spinal cord, prevents dehydration, regulates body temperature, and helps the kidneys eliminate waste. 
• Avoid drinking too much water within a few hours or so before going to sleep since it can cause you to wake up to use the bathroom at night.
• To drink more water throughout the day, carry a reusable water bottle and experiment with adding fun ingredients to your water, such as cucumber, lemon, or mint. 
• Adding more water to your diet and changing your eating habits can be a great way to lose weight. 
• Speak with your physician and registered dietitian if you would like individualized advice on adding more water to your diet, maintaining adequate hydration, and weight loss.