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The old habit may not be as innocent as it appears. Understand

Thirst is a natural warning that the body is becoming dehydrated. When excessive, it can lead doctors to reach different diagnoses, however, in most cases, thirst is a normal reaction. At night, many people have an even greater need to drink water, precisely at that time of greatest laziness. And what solution do many adopt? Bring a glass of water to place on the nightstand. This simple practice does not appear to pose any danger, but not quite. It's not that drinking water at night is bad, but leaving the glass on the nightstand at night can be dangerous.

A study by Dr. Kellogg Schwab, from the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute, in the United States, found that a large contingent of bacteria that is concentrated in the glass and reproduces more and more throughout the night. The phenomenon happens due to the cooling of the liquid at room temperature. Most bacteria proliferate most efficiently when the environment gets warmer, and when you put your mouth to the cup, guess where they're going?

Many may be thinking that a plausible solution would be to take a small PET bottle instead of a cup. However, these small bottles are not suitable for reuse... Even their manufacturers recommend disposing of them after use.

The bottles have a moist interior, closed and with great contact with the hands and mouth - perfect environment for the reproduction of bacteria. A study of 75 water samples from bottles that elementary school students had used for months without ever washing them, found that about two-thirds of the samples had bacterial levels above recommended standards. The amount of fecal coliforms (bacteria from mammalian feces) was identified above the recommended limit in ten of the 75 samples studied. Unwashed bottles act as the perfect breeding ground for bacteria - see more in "Discover the dangers of reusing your water bottle".

Well, there is another problem related to these bottles: it is Bisphenol A (BPA), a compound used in the production of plastics and resins. A study conducted by Harvard University, USA, put a group of people using plastic bottles with this material for a week and found an increase in BPA levels in the urine of about 60%. Another study from the University of Cincinnati found that when washing the bottles with hot water, the leaching process was accelerated, meaning that the BPA was more easily released from the plastic material. BPA can cause all sorts of hormone-related problems - understand more in "Do you know what BPA is? Know and be safe."

Therefore, the best thing to do is to put water in a specific bottle for this purpose, such as those made of glass or stainless steel, which must be regularly sanitized... Or get out of bed and drink water from a clean glass.