Having a glass of water on your bedside table seems like a good idea to avoid dehydration. Only here, this habit would be bad for the health.
Who has never done it? Before sleeping, many people think of putting a glass of water on their bedside table for fear of becoming dehydrated overnight. If you think this habit is safe, a specialist has just proven just the opposite. Asked by Medisite, Professor Stéphane Gayet, infectious disease specialist and hygienist, informs that this glass placed on the bedside table is a nest of microbes. “A glass of water or another liquid (not anti-septic) becomes in a few hours a culture broth at room temperature”.
This stagnant water for several hours would therefore allow the proliferation of bacteria and yeasts present in our mouth, especially if we have already drunk from the glass in question. “If we swallow them after this proliferation, it can cause an imbalance of the oral flora which can be harmful. Certain bacterial strains can produce toxins ”.
Cover your glass to avoid germs
For the specialist interviewed, certain precautions must be taken upstream. “Never leave a glass of water without a cover for a long time.” He recommends covering it up “With a plastic cover taken from a can of powdered food”, to prevent insects from contaminating the water with their legs. Stéphane Gayet also recommends keeping the glass away from ultraviolet rays and any source of heat. As you will have understood, it is still best to drink enough during the meal to avoid this nocturnal thirst.