That bottle of water isn't just for classes. Make sure to drink water all day.

Hydrating is really important, and it can be just as important to hydrate during the night as it is during the day. It's well known that there are numerous advantages to staying hydrated throughout the day. Drinking plenty of water helps maintain the balance of body fluids, and even clears up acne. However, recent studies have shown that there are even more benefits to drinking water before bedtime. 

Before dozing off tonight, please consider the following reasons why you should keep a glass of water handy on the bedside table.

1. Having a glass of water before bed helps the body replenish the fluids it has lost throughout daily activities.

2. Drinking a glass of ice water before bed can speed up your metabolism. Since you are not taking in any extra calories while sleeping, your body will start to burn up excess calories.

3. Drinking water naturally replenishes the body’s vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. While you sleep, water has the time to reach every part of the body and replenish it fully. This makes waking up much easier, giving the body a rejuvenated feeling.

4. Once you make drinking water before bed a habit, you will sleep more soundly, more consistently.

5. Water is a natural body cleanser. Throughout the day, the body consumes toxins from food and the environment. However, drinking water before bed can speed up this cleansing process to flush the body of unwanted toxins. This will leave you with a faster metabolism and more energy throughout the day.

These five tips are a great and simple way to improve health and alertness after waking up. However, you can sometimes have too much of a good thing. Drinking too much water before bed can leave you restless, and with an urge to urinate constantly throughout the night. In general, doctors recommend that you drink anywhere from half a cup to one cup of water before bedtime.  Studies have also demonstrated that you should drink water within an hour of going to bed, so you can have an empty bladder before falling asleep.               

Adding an extra glass of water before bed each night can have an extremely positive impact on the body and overall lifestyle. Especially as a college student, it’s easy to get rundown with busy days of class and extracurricular activities. So, before heading off to sleep tonight make sure to pour yourself a glass of ice water!