This Is the First Thing You Should Do When You Wake Up, Says a Cleveland Clinic Gastroenterologist

Kristine Gasbarre Qaderi

Thu, April 30, 2026 at 7:02 AM EDT

This Is the First Thing You Should Do When You Wake Up, Says a Cleveland Clinic Gastroenterologist 

(Tanja Ivanova/Getty Images)

Research has shown that the majority of people regard morning as the happiest time of day. It can be a space for calm, routine, and self-care before work, school, and chores start tugging at your attention.

On a similar note, an overwhelming number of Americans fuel their day with coffee—but Cleveland Clinic gastroenterology doctor, Adrienna Jirik, MD, says there’s a beverage that should precede even that uplifting caffeination: water.

We lose hydration during our sleep, Dr. Jirik explains, primarily due to a fascinating process: our system releases moisture as we breathe. She explains that in a typical eight-hour night’s sleep, “you would lose about 300 to 400 cc of water.” That’s equivalent to between approximately 10 and 14 ounces. “People have lots of [gastrointestinal] water loss,” Dr. Jirik says, referring to the subtle process as “insensible losses.”

Sweating can factor in, too, and of course the body’s release of fluid through urination. So, Dr. Jirik tells patients to drink “at least a cup of water when you wake up in the morning.”

The Cleveland Clinic adds that replenishing hydration can also stave off urinary tract infections, ignite metabolism, and improve digestion.

If you’re one of those people who just doesn’t love the taste of plain water, Dr. Jirik says seltzer water or even juice is fine—or, if you’re watching sugar intake, a splash of juice in a glass of water can make it more appealing.

Lemon water is also one way to wake up with a little flavor that also can help the liver’s natural cleansing function, while electrolyte products, such as Liquid I.V., contain minerals such as sodium and potassium that help the body actually absorb that helpful hydration.

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