What drinks to consume when staying up late
Dec 12, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Huang Yuhong
Introduction
When staying up late, the body is prone to fatigue, dehydration, and impaired vision. It's advisable to choose beverages that hydrate, refresh, and support liver and kidney health, while avoiding stimulants. Common suitable options include warm plain water, Chinese wolfberry and chrysanthemum tea, lemon honey water, mint tea, and the clear broth from millet porridge. When consuming drinks during late-night hours, it's important to be aware of contraindications and precautions, avoiding those high in sugar or caffeine.
Staying up late can easily lead to physical issues such as fatigue, dehydration, and vision impairment. It is advisable to choose beverages that hydrate the body, refresh the mind, and support liver and kidney health, while avoiding stimulating drinks. Suitable options commonly include warm plain water, goji berry and chrysanthemum tea, lemon honey water, mint tea, and the clear broth from cooked millet porridge. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Warm Plain Water: Its primary function is rehydration and promoting metabolism. During late-night wakefulness, the body's metabolic rate increases and leads to greater fluid loss. Drinking warm plain water promptly replenishes fluids, aids in eliminating metabolic waste, and alleviates discomforts such as dry mouth and physical fatigue caused by staying up late.
2. Goji Berry and Chrysanthemum Tea: This tea has the benefits of nourishing the liver, improving eyesight, clearing heat, and reducing internal fire. Staying up late can impair liver function and cause eye dryness or blurred vision. Goji berries help nourish the liver and kidneys, while chrysanthemum clears heat and benefits the eyes. When consumed together, they help relieve eye strain and reduce the burden on the liver.
3. Lemon Honey Water: Helps replenish vitamins, refreshes the body, and relieves dryness. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which boosts immunity, while honey moistens dryness and promotes saliva production. The combination offers a refreshing taste, helps alleviate fatigue and dry mouth associated with staying up late, and mildly enhances alertness.
4. Mint Tea: Known for its ability to refresh the mind and clear heat. When staying up late, people often feel drowsy and mentally sluggish. The menthol in mint stimulates the central nervous system, helping improve alertness. It also helps ease irritability and stuffiness that may arise during prolonged wakefulness, making it ideal for drinking during late-night work or study sessions.
5. Clear Broth from Millet Porridge: Replenishes fluids and small amounts of electrolytes, gently protecting the stomach. If gastrointestinal discomfort occurs while staying up late, drinking warm millet porridge broth can soothe and nourish the digestive tract, preventing irritation to the gastric mucosa from an empty stomach. It also supplies necessary hydration and light nutrition, helping reduce feelings of physical weakness.
When consuming beverages during late-night hours, it’s important to be aware of contraindications and precautions. Avoid sugary drinks, those high in caffeine, or containing alcohol. Beverage temperature should be moderate—warm is best. Choose wisely according to your individual physical condition to ensure safety and suitability.
