11 Reasons You're Really Heavier In The Night Than In Morning

If you’ve ever gone through a period of compulsive weighing like I did, you may have noticed that you weigh more at night than you do in the morning.

Contents hide

1 If you have trouble falling asleep, try some of these tips:

2 How much does the scale fluctuate during the day?

3 There are several ways different medications can affect your weight:

4 Share this post:

You actually weigh more at night than you do in the morning.

#1: Drinking water throughout the day increases your weight

Every two cups of water you drink throughout the day equals one pound of weight.

It is recommended that adults drink at least half a gallon of water each day.

By the end of the day, your body may not have had time to excrete all that water, and it may reflect on your scale.

This doesn’t mean you have to cut back on the amount of water you drink each day.

Being dehydrated can send your body into a state of shock and it will try to retain as much fluid as possible.

This will negatively affect your health and contribute to the increased number on the scale.

Weight gained from drinking water is only temporary and your weight will come off as soon as you pee.

The benefits of staying hydrated and healthy far outweigh any negligible short-term weight loss you may experience from not drinking enough water.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links that take you to online retailers that sell products and services.

#2: Salt intake swings your weight

Salt intake during the day is a major contributor to your fluctuating weight.

You will often notice the increase on your scale on the same day that you consumed a lot of salty food.

Salt causes your body to retain fluid, which means increased weight.

By evening, your body will not have had time to completely cleanse your system of the salt you have consumed.

If you’ve been consuming more salt than usual during the day and want to limit its effects on your weight as quickly as possible, there are some things you can do.

It may sound counterproductive to consume more water, as it weighs a lot and immediately increases the reading on the scale.

However, water moves very quickly through your system and will pick up any toxins and extra salt in its path.

Drinking more water after indulging in an extra side of fries with your lunch will minimize the effects of water retention caused by salt.

Eat potassium-rich foods

If you know you’ve been overdoing the salt, you can counteract some of the effects by grabbing a potassium-rich snack, like a banana, some strawberries or a handful of unsalted nuts.

Potassium helps your kidneys flush out extra salt, helping to quickly restore your body to its normal weight.

Try to move as much as possible during the day.

Even if you don’t get to physically sweat the salt in the gym, movement will increase your metabolism and keep things moving in the right direction – which in the case of your scale is DOWN.

So if you’re primarily tied to your desk during the day, take the time to walk around occasionally and get your heart rate up.

#3: Food takes time to digest

If you’ve just enjoyed an extra-large pizza with your friends, it might not be the best time to weigh yourself right away.

The food you eat must have time to be processed by the body.

The weight of the food you consume will be immediately added to your total weight; however, it subsides as soon as digestion starts.

Every calorie you consume must be used, stored or eliminated by your body.

#4: Carbohydrates add water weight to your body

While carbs aren’t necessarily bad, eating them causes the body to retain extra water to store this fuel.

For every gram of carbohydrate you eat, you will retain about three grams of water.

Eating carbohydrates encourages the body to retain more water

Be aware that the increase you observe in your weight in the evening when you weigh yourself may not only be a direct result of the carbohydrates you ate, but also because of the water needed to process that food.

Also remember that carbohydrate foods are often high in salt, which retains water in the body.

So that could also be a reason for the slight increase in your weight.

Although you won’t lose much weight after a bowel movement since the average stool only weighs about 0.25 pounds.

If your gut gets propped up, it adds weight you should be losing every day, but beyond that it can be really uncomfortable.

The discomfort of constipation will affect your mood, and you may therefore be less active than usual.

This lack of activity will in turn affect your metabolism and reduce the ability of the bowel to move as it should.

In the short term, this extra weight from constipation is marginal, but regular or prolonged constipation should always be avoided, especially if you are trying to lose weight.

Drink more water

Eat foods with high fiber content

Use the bathroom as soon as you feel the need

Have a bathroom routine and try to stick to it

Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it robs your body of fluids.

This may sound like a good thing if you are trying to lose weight.

You may have noticed that you have to urinate very quickly after consuming alcoholic beverages.

This increased urge to urinate goes hand in hand with a possible fluid imbalance in the body.

To counteract the fluid imbalance caused by consuming alcohol, the body begins to retain fluids from any other food or drink consumed.

If you’ve ever spent any time in a bar, you’ll know that there are usually snacks available that are high in salt.

Drinkers often overeat salty snacks and enjoy carbohydrate-laden foods with their drinks.

This leads to water retention and overall weight gain.

#7: You lose weight while you sleep!

Your body will continue to metabolize and use stored energy during the night while you sleep, so you will continue to breathe and sweat.

If you sleep, you don’t eat or drink, so no extra fuel is added to the body’s supply.

That way, reserves continue to be used, causing your weight to drop.

Your lowest weight of the day will usually be immediately after you empty each morning.

Consistently getting a good night’s sleep can therefore be one of your most effective weight loss tools.

Establishing a consistent bedtime routine will support your efforts to get enough sleep.

If you have trouble falling asleep, try some of these tips:

Stick to a bedtime schedule – If your body gets used to the same routine, you’ll start to relax more quickly and fall asleep faster

Our modern lifestyles often keep us on constant alert, and our brains struggle to settle down to sleep.

Turn off the lights – Melatonin is a chemical produced by your brain that induces sleep.

It’s really hard to fall asleep with the light on.

To effectively lose weight while you sleep, you must enjoy a prolonged deep sleep.

Keep it cool – You fall asleep faster and sleep longer if your body stays at a comfortable temperature.

Weighing yourself fully clothed means the scale will be heavier!

While it’s completely normal and expected to weigh more at night than first thing in the morning, one of the most obvious reasons for any drastic increase could simply be your attire.

Each of your shoes can add a pound of extra weight, so make sure you take them off before you step on the scale and don’t freak yourself out.

How much does the scale fluctuate during the day?

Any drastic or sudden unexplained change in your weight should be investigated, but keep in mind that the average person’s weight fluctuates by about five pounds a day.

If you’re wondering why you weigh more at night, remember that your body needs time to process the food and drink consumed during the day.

Instead of weighing yourself repeatedly throughout the day, you should stick to one fixed time.

Record the weight at the same time each day and use this data to monitor your weight goals.

Remember that fluctuations in your weight can not only be related to what you consume, but can also be due to hormonal changes or medications.

Other reasons why your weight may fluctuate

In addition to the time of day, there are other reasons why you may experience weight fluctuations.

Medicines can affect your weight

If you are taking any medication and have noticed that your weight is increasing, it could very well be a side effect of the pills you are taking.

There are several ways different medications can affect your weight:

Increased water retention

Menstruation can affect your weight

Most women experience water retention and bloating before their period.

Fluid retention seems to peak on the first day of your period, so don’t be put off by a small rise on the scale.

Stay hydrated and push through this time.

The hormonal changes you experience before your period can make you overeat or crave things you wouldn’t normally eat.

It may not be the fluid retention associated with your period that may be causing you to gain weight.

It may very well be the comfort food we often cut back on at that time of the month.