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"Have you been feeling a little dizzy lately and seem to be a little irritable?"
In the small clinic of the hospital, Dr. Zhang looked at the patient in front of him, middle-aged Li Daqiang, an experienced software engineer who had recently been distressed by thinning hair.
Li Daqiang nodded, in fact, he could feel that in addition to hair problems, his sleep quality was also declining.
Dr. Cheung continued to inquire about Lee's eating habits and daily habits, and learned that he had a habit of getting up in the middle of the night and drinking ice water to quench his thirst.
"It's not a good habit." Dr. Zhang shook his head, and he took out a chart from the drawer and explained in detail:
"Many people don't realize that drinking ice water in the middle of the night can have a lot of effects on the body.
Especially if you are in this situation, there is already a problem of decreased sleep quality. ”
Li Daqiang was a little surprised, because in his common sense, drinking ice water only makes people feel refreshed, and there are no side effects.
Seeing this, Dr. Zhang began to explain to him the potential effects of cold water on his body.
First of all, Dr. Zhang pointed out that drinking cold water in the middle of the night can affect the body's temperature regulation.
When a person is sleeping, the body temperature naturally decreases slightly.
Sudden ingestion of cold water will make the body need to quickly adjust the body temperature, which will not only interrupt deep sleep, but also may cause discomfort and burden on internal organs.
Secondly, cold water enters the stomach, especially in the middle of the night, when the secretion of gastric juice is reduced, which may cause stomach discomfort or aggravate stomach problems.
Dr. Zhang cites a case of a patient who often drank ice water at night and was eventually diagnosed with chronic gastritis.
Dr Teo also mentioned the cardiovascular effects of cold water.
He explained that when cold water enters the body, the body's blood vessels briefly contract in order to maintain core temperature.
This contraction may increase the risk of heart attack or high blood pressure in people who already have cardiovascular disease.
He cited a study that counted the lifestyle habits of 1,000 people with cardiovascular disease and found that those who regularly drank ice water at night had a higher chance of having a heart attack.
After Li Daqiang heard this, he began to reflect on his habit.
He asked Dr. Zhang if there was an alternative way to help him sleep better instead of relying on cold water to quench his thirst.
Dr. Zhang suggested that Li Daqiang could try to drink warm water instead, which can not only avoid the negative effects of cold water, but also help promote blood circulation and help the body relax.
In addition to this, you can also do some light stretching exercises before bed, or listen to some soft music, which are healthy habits that can help improve the quality of sleep.
Towards the end of the conversation, Dr. Cheung reminded Li that it takes time to change habits, but as long as you persevere, you can definitely see positive changes.
Now that we know that ice water has adverse effects on nighttime drinkers, how can we help those who can't avoid cold beverages in their daily lives reduce the potential health risks of this drinking habit?
In this regard, Dr. Zhang conducted a detailed analysis.
He began by explaining the direct effects of temperature on the body and suggested that, in cases where it is impossible to avoid drinking cold beverages, try to choose a time when the body temperature is high, such as after lunch.
In addition, he suggests that the cold content of the drink can be gradually reduced, such as leaving the cold drink at room temperature for a period of time before drinking, which can reduce the impact on the body.
Finally, Dr Teo emphasised that proper education and advocacy are also very important.
Enhancing the public's understanding of the relationship between dietary temperature and health through health talks and community activities, so as to help people establish healthier eating habits, is a key step in preventing such health problems.
What do you have to say about this? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section!