Especially if you are a night owl, the mornings are hard enough. Starting the day with a bloated and gassy abdomen isn't the best part of waking up. Some of your nightly habits, including dessert or a glass of wine, may be to blame for that dull feeling.
Why do you wake up with a swollen abdomen?
You ate something that caused bloating the night before
Eating the wrong foods before bed is often the reason you wake up feeling bloated.
Many of us like to enjoy a sweet after dinner, but this may not be the best decision for your digestive system. Too much sugar can cause bloating in some people, but artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) can be even more troublesome. When eaten in large quantities, they can cause digestive upset, such as bloating, gas, and even diarrhea.
Eating foods high in sodium before bed can also make your body retain more water, causing bloating the next morning. Sauces, popcorn, and soy sauce are just a few of the foods that can cause unwanted bloating even hours after you've eaten them.
The solution is to add potassium-rich fruits and vegetables to your breakfast. Bananas, cantaloupe, and potatoes are high in potassium and can help ease the stomach. Asparagus, cucumber, and celery can also be helpful.
Also, avoid high carbohydrate breakfasts if you wake up with some discomfort. Breads, cereals, and cakes can make your gut feel tight and bloated, especially if you combine them with foods high in lactose, such as cheese or cream.
The glasses is another culprit
Alcohol is another common culprit when it comes to bloating. When you drink a glass of wine (or two) before bed, the stomach and small intestine absorb the alcohol and it can cause inflammation. The next morning, this alcohol-induced swelling can present as unwanted abdominal bloating.
You don't need to completely eliminate your glass of wine in the evening, but it's best to limit yourself to one drink in the evening. Also, try to enjoy your drink as early as possible to give your body enough time to digest it and make sure you hydrate before and after.
You are eating too early before bed
The timing of meals is as important as the ingredients. You may want to go to bed shortly after dinner, but your stomach may not like that plan. Your body needs time to digest, so eating later in the evening can cause problems like bloating or heartburn.
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to eating windows – everyone's digestive system is different. But it's probably best to eat at least two to three hours before bed to ensure a good night's sleep and a morning without bloating.
You are not drinking enough water
Your body is wiser than you probably think. Every part of your system needs water to function properly, and your body is excellent at balancing the amount of water going in and out.
You're constantly losing fluids by breathing, sweating, and (of course) urinating. But when your body doesn't have enough water to balance the amount it's losing, it begins to retain water in your system (which is why you can go to the bathroom less often). So if you don't hydrate enough throughout the day, you may feel the effects on your abdomen the next morning.
Checking your urine is a great way to know if you are hydrating properly. The ideal is to urinate a light straw yellow color. A dark yellow is a good sign that you are not getting enough fluids.
You are not getting enough exercise
Taking a break from exercise can be another reason you wake up bloated. Exercise is part of an overall healthy lifestyle and can help promote proper nutrition and hydration.
Although it can't, by itself, fix the problem of bloating, it can help keep your system working at its best while also physically helping to move gas to ease the digestive path.
Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardiovascular activity each week, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Moderate activity can include walking, hiking, or jogging.
