Sleep Deprived? You’re Probably Not Drinking Enough Water, Study Says

Sleep Deprived? You’re Probably Not Drinking Enough Water, Study Says
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Sleep Deprived? You’re Probably Not Drinking Enough Water, Study Says
The article by Parker (2018) offers a review of a study conducted by researchers from Penn State University that was recently published in the Sleep Journal. The research is focused on determining the relationship between sleep and the hydration status of an individual. The author begins by stating the common facts that water is imperative for the body and the benefits associated with staying hydrated, which include managing weight and feeling more rested. The author makes these statements based on a new report, which is not specified. The article proceeds to make the casual claim drawing from the research from Penn State University that the hours an individual slept are linked to their hydration status.
The study discussed by Parker (2018) involved more than 20,00 adults from the USA and China. The research was conducted by analyzing urine samples provided participants. The analysis was focused on determining the hydration status compared to the number of hours the individuals spent asleep. Additionally, the subjects involved were asked questions that were focused on their sleep patterns for the researchers to compare how this phenomenon interacted with the hydration status. Nevertheless, Parker (2018) fails to identify the specific questions posed to the participants nor the time of the day the urine was collected. The research results showed that individuals who slept for six hours a night had highly concentrated urine samples compared to persons who slept for eight hours. Further, a review of the results showed that individuals who had six hours of sleep had a fifty-nine percent higher chance of being inadequately hydrated compared to those who slept for eight hours. The presentation of the results lacks a complete overview of the findings because the author focuses on the factual results for individuals who slept for six hours. There are no statistical insights from the findings that relate to individuals who slept for eight hours. The author supports the argument with direct quotes from the coauthor of the research, Asher Rosinger, who states that “If you are only getting six hours of sleep a night, it can affect your hydration status.” The author goes ahead to claim that the research suggests if an individual is not getting enough sleep and they feel tired, they should drink more water the following day. Arguably, there is no evidence to support the claim, and these sentiments remain unclear in relation to the results emerging from the research.
In the remaining part of the paper, the author offers insights on the interpretations made by the scientists. In this context, Parker (2018) states that scientists believe that the hormone vasopressin, which is used in regulating hydration is responsible for the link between hydration status and sleep pattern. According to Parker's (2018) review of the explanation offered by Rosinger, vasopressin affects the body’s hydration because it is released quickly and later on in the sleep cycle. Consequently, the disruption in body hydration occurs when one misses the window when more of the hormone is produced. The author concludes by stating that dehydration can have detrimental impacts on how the body systems function. These effects include altering an individual’s cognition, mood, physical performance, as well as extreme challenges such as Urinary Tract Infection and Kidney Stones. The conclusions made by the author are in line with the sentiments expressed by other researchers, although the author does not inform on the levels of hydration status according to the study conducted to inform the readers on the specific effects.
A key issue evident in the article is the reverse casual claim made by the author that the hours an individual spends asleep affects their hydration status. Arguably, this predisposition ignores the fact that adults have different sleeping patterns. It is not logical to suggest that individuals sleep for six or eight hours. There is a high possibility that many people sleep for less than six hours or even more than eight. Furthermore, there are many factors to take into account in determining the number of hours an individual sleeps. Also, the hours might not be consistent, which implies that the disruptions in the hydration status might not be justifiabl...