Water plays a vital role in making our bodies function normally.  Water promotes proper digestion, elimination, detoxification and temperature control.  What is not as well known about water is that it can help to reduce snoring.  Many people snore because they are dehydrated.  They have a dry mouth and dry throat, both of which promote snoring.  The simple cure is to drink more water.

Water can also help to reduce the harmful effects of snoring.  Typically, snorers who have sleep apnea will not sleep well and feel fatigued.  To combat the fatigue, the snorer will consume foods and drinks laden with sugar in order to feel energetic, but these foods can contribute to weight gain.  Staying hydrated will help you lose or maintain your weight because it fills up your stomach, moves your food through your system and helps to regulate your metabolism. Follow these simple guidelines for incorporating more water into your diet in order to function at your best.

 How much water should you consume?

• It is good to drink a glass of water when you first wake up in the morning when you are the most dehydrated.
• The standard recommendation is eight glasses of water per day, or enough so that your urine is very light in color. On the days that you sweat more because of exercise, or are exposed to a lot of germs, you should drink more.
• Soda, coffee, tea and alcohol do not count toward daily fluid intake because they dehydrate your body and can lead to nutrient loss.
• Herbal teas and vegetable juices count toward your water goals and have the added benefit of providing vitamins and minerals. 
• Foods with high fluid content, such as fruits, vegetable and cooked grains, also count toward your daily water intake and help to eliminate the waste from your body.

 Other considerations:

• It’s best to do most of your drinking in between meals.  Food will digest better with a minimum amount of water in the stomach.
• Beware of choosing flavored waters—many contain sugar or artificial sweeteners.  Better to flavor the water or seltzer by adding a little fruit juice or squirt of lime or lemon.
• Not all water tastes the same. If the water is filtered in some way, it tends to taste better, and you’ll be motivated to drink more of it.

Of all the things you could do to reduce your snoring specifically, or improve your health in general, sipping water throughout the day and eating water-dense foods is relatively easy to implement. Enjoy all the benefits, and happy sleeping!

If you’d like to discuss your health concerns and goals, call Sharon Goldner to set up a free phone consultation at 908-242-3763 or sharon@recipeforaheatlhylife.com.