Imagine you’re snuggled up under your warmest blankets in the most comfortable position on your bed. As you slowly drift off into the land of dreams, it hits you like a ton of bricks: your bladder screams at you to empty it. Reluctantly, you dragged yourself to the bathroom to take care of it and returned to bed. Depending on the person, the inconvenience can make it difficult to fall back asleep. A full bladder has rudely awakened us during the night.
This is why a new hack is circulating online to prevent your bladder from disturbing your sleep: drinking Sprite Zero before bed.
What is the Zero Sprite bedtime trend?
According to We Got This Covered, former NFL coach Pratik Patel shared in September on X his method for preventing his bladder from disrupting his sleep. By cracking open a can of Sprite Zero before hitting the hay, he claims it prevents him from waking up to use the restroom. Because it contains sodium citrate, potassium citrate, carbonated water, and no caffeine, he calls it the formula for ‘elite hydration.’ Combined with his supplement PreSleep, the soft drink recipe aids him to ‘sleep like a zombie.’
Regardless, social media users quickly jumped on the bandwagon to participate in what is dubbed the ‘Sprite Zero sleep trails.’
Man questions the viral trick
TikTok creator Nick Komodina (@nickkomodina_official) discusses this with over 580,000 viewers. “OK, serious conversation,” he says, dragging a 20-oz Sprite Zero bottle. “Apparently, there is a thing that everybody’s squawking about that if you drink a Sprite Zero before bed, you do not get up to go pee.”
It may sound counterintuitive, since one way to reduce it is to limit fluid intake before bed, according to the Cleveland Clinic. However, the ingredients are allegedly a formula for a melatonin dose. “Because it is the perfect balance of minerals and electrolytes. It’s 60 [milligrams] sodium, 180 [milligrams] potassium,” he explains, mentioning two of the ingredients.
Skeptical, the content creator wants to run a test. “I’m gonna drink this entire thing before bed tonight, and I’m gonna let you guys know,” Komodina concludes.
What did viewers think of this sleep hack?
The comments section quickly weighed in. Ultimately, many were not persuaded and demanded that Komodina post an update.
“9 [TikToks later,] we still don’t know the results,” one viewer remarked.
“Wellll any updates?” another asked.
In addition, others cited firsthand experience to debunk the method.
“You wake up with acid reflux first and then have to use [the bathroom],” one commenter shared.
“I’ve been drinking Sprite Zero for a long time. Still wake up to use the bathroom,” a second revealed.
“[Not ]true. I wake up a million times a night,” a third concurred.
Did the Sprite Zero hack work?
After viewers repeatedly demanded it, Komodina delivered the results the following morning. “All right, I just woke up. I drank a little more than half of this before bed last night,” he said in a video update, holding the same Sprite Zero bottle but half empty.
“I did eat dinner pretty late and I drink a lot of water. So, I think that did play a variable.” His bladder disrupted his sleep. “I did in fact wake up in the middle of the night and go pee,” he shared.
How does soda affect sleep?
Whether it has sugar or not, the Sleep Foundation advises against drinking soft drinks before bed. In addition to triggering the bladder, the carbonation in these beverages can cause bloating and acid reflux. So, a stomachache could interrupt your sleep, according to Real Simple.
@nickkomodina_official ♬ original sound – Nick Komodina
The Mary Sue reached out to Komodina via TikTok comment and direct message.
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