Source: Health Lecture Hall
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author, if there is a source error or infringement of your legitimate rights and interests, you can contact us, we will deal with it in time.
On a sunny spring morning, Zhao Dashan was busy washing and drying the bedding for the winter, preparing for the coming summer.
At this time, his neighbor, Dr. Zhang, was also basking in the sun on the roof of the building.
"Mr. Zhao, when the elderly get up at night to drink water, it is best not to drink cold water directly. Dr. Zhang reminded with concern as he adjusted his glasses.
Zhao Dashan, a retired librarian, always pays special attention to detail.
Hearing Dr. Zhang's words, he was curious. "Oh, why?" he asked, with a look of anticipation on his face.
Dr. Zhang smiled and began to explain: "The body functions of the elderly are different from those of young people, and when they wake up at night, their stomach and intestines are at rest.
At this time, if you drink cold water directly, it is easy to cause gastrointestinal discomfort and even induce other health problems. ”
Zhao Dashan listened intently, and then Dr. Zhang continued: "Not only that, cold water stimulation may also cause sudden constriction of blood vessels, which is a big risk for the elderly with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
For example, I met a patient who had to take heart medication for a long time because he got up in the middle of the night to drink cold water all year round, which increased the burden on his heart. ”
Zhao Dashan was deeply interested in Dr. Zhang's words, he had never realized that such a seemingly simple action could hide so many health risks.
Seeing this, Dr. Zhang went on to explain several related medical theories and cases in detail.
"Our stomach secretes less stomach acid at night, and if cold water is ingested suddenly, it not only irritates the stomach lining, but can also lead to gastrointestinal disorders.
Doing so in the long term can affect the health of the digestive system. Dr. Zhang said that his words are full of concern for the health of the elderly.
Zhao Dashan nodded, he was very surprised, it turned out that this habitual little habit had such a big impact on health.
Dr. Zhang also mentions that proper room temperature water or lukewarm water is a better choice to avoid irritating the stomach lining while also better helping the body to return to a conscious state.
After chatting for a while, Zhao Dashan felt that he had benefited a lot. He decided to change this habit in the future and plans to spread the word to his old friends as well, and Dr. Zhang's words are not only based on his clinical experience, but also on a large amount of data.
He mentioned that according to a study of 500 older people, those who drank cold water in the middle of the night were more likely to have high blood pressure and heart disease problems than those who drank warm or room temperature water.
The study provided strong data support for Dr. Zhang's view, and Zhao was surprised again that the power of medicine and data is so powerful. He was filled with respect and curiosity for medical knowledge.
The article concludes with a question that does not summarize, but leaves the question of why even room-temperature water is better for drinking at night than cold water?
In this regard, it can be analyzed as follows: the metabolic rate of the human body at night is lower, and the body temperature is naturally slightly lower than that during the day; drinking room temperature water at this time is closer to the internal temperature of the human body at the moment, so the stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract is less, and it is easier to be absorbed and utilized.
Cold water, on the other hand, is much lower than body temperature, causing the body to produce extra energy to heat up the water, which affects the quality of sleep and the body's recovery process.
This explanation is not only in line with the physiology of the human body, but also further enhances the understanding of the proper drinking habits.