What to Drink After Sex: Best Choices for Your Body

After sex, your body needs to recover and rehydrate. What you drink after sex can help your body feel better, prevent infections, and restore your energy. Many people don’t think about what to drink after sex, but making good choices can help your health in several ways. This guide will help you understand why drinking after sex matters and what the best options are for your body.

Why Drinking After Sex Matters

Sex is a physical activity that makes your body work hard. Like any exercise, it can cause you to lose water and important minerals through sweat. Your heart rate goes up, you breathe faster, and your body temperature rises. All these things mean your body uses more water than when you’re resting.

How Sex Affects Your Body’s Hydration

During sex, several things happen that can make you lose water:

• You sweat, which means water leaves your body through your skin
• You breathe faster, which means you lose more water through your breath
• Your muscles work hard, using up water stored in your body
• Some people may not drink enough water before sex

Most people lose about 1-2 cups of water during an average sex session. This amount can be more if sex lasts longer or is very active. Not replacing this water can leave you feeling tired, dizzy, or with a headache.

Health Benefits of Drinking After Sex

Drinking the right fluids after sex has many benefits:

• Helps flush bacteria from your urinary tract
• Replaces lost fluids and prevents dehydration
• Can help reduce muscle cramps
• Helps your body recover faster
• Can improve your mood and energy levels
• Supports your immune system

Best Drinks After Sex

Not all drinks are equally good for after sex. Some help your body, while others might actually cause problems. Here’s a guide to the best choices.

Water: The Perfect Choice

Water is the number one best drink after sex. It has many benefits that make it ideal:

• Contains no sugar or caffeine
• Quickly absorbed by your body
• Helps flush your urinary tract
• Doesn’t have calories
• Won’t disrupt your sleep

Plain water works great, but if you want some flavor, you can add slices of lemon, cucumber, or berries. This gives you a taste without adding sugar or other things your body doesn’t need right now.

Electrolyte Drinks

Electrolytes are special minerals your body needs to work properly. During sex, you lose some of these through sweat. Drinks with electrolytes can help replace what you’ve lost:

• Sports drinks (look for low-sugar options)
• Coconut water
• Electrolyte water
• Diluted fruit juice with a small pinch of salt

These drinks help restore balance in your body faster than plain water alone, especially after very active or long sex sessions.

Herbal Teas

Herbal teas can be soothing and have extra health benefits after sex:

• Cranberry tea may help prevent urinary tract infections
• Chamomile tea can help you relax and sleep better
• Peppermint tea helps with digestion if you feel bloated
• Ginger tea can soothe an upset stomach

Herbal teas should be caffeine-free to avoid keeping you awake. They’re best served warm, not super hot, as your body can absorb warm liquids more easily.

Fresh Juices

Natural, unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices can provide vitamins along with hydration:

• Orange juice gives vitamin C to support your immune system
• Watermelon juice has amino acids that help muscle recovery
• Tart cherry juice may help reduce muscle soreness
• Cucumber juice is hydrating and cooling

It’s best to choose juices without added sugar. You can dilute juice with water (half juice, half water) to make it less sweet and more hydrating.

Drinks Comparison Chart

Here’s a helpful comparison of different drink options after sex:

Drink Type	Hydration Level	Health Benefits	When It’s Best	Things to Watch For
Water	Very High	Flushes urinary tract, zero calories	Always a good choice	None – it’s perfect!
Electrolyte Drinks	High	Replaces minerals, quick energy	After very active sex	Watch for added sugar
Herbal Teas	Medium-High	Various benefits depending on herb	Evening/relaxing time	Avoid caffeinated teas
Fresh Juices	Medium	Vitamins and antioxidants	Morning or daytime	Natural sugar content
Milk	Medium	Protein for muscle recovery	Daytime	Might cause digestive issues for some
Alcohol	Low	None	Not recommended	Dehydrates you further
Sugary Sodas	Low	None	Not recommended	Can irritate urinary tract
Energy Drinks	Low	None	Not recommended	Caffeine disrupts sleep

Drinks to Avoid After Sex

Some drinks can actually make things worse after sex. Here are drinks to avoid and why:

Alcohol

Even though some people like to have alcohol before or during sex, it’s not a good choice afterward because:

• It makes dehydration worse, not better
• It can make you more tired
• It might irritate your bladder
• It can lower your immune system
• It might disrupt your sleep quality

If you do want to celebrate with alcohol, be sure to drink water first to rehydrate.

Sugary Drinks

Drinks with lots of sugar aren’t good choices after sex:

• Soda
• Energy drinks
• Sweetened iced teas
• Fruit punch
• Some sports drinks with high sugar

Sugar can feed the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections. These drinks also don’t hydrate you as well as water or other better choices.

Caffeine

Caffeinated drinks like coffee, black tea, and energy drinks should be avoided after sex, especially at night because:

• They act as diuretics, making you pee more and potentially getting more dehydrated
• They can make it hard to sleep
• They might increase any anxiety feelings
• They can raise your heart rate when your body is trying to calm down

When to Drink for Best Results

When you drink is almost as important as what you drink after sex.

Immediately After Sex

The best time to start drinking fluids is within 15-30 minutes after sex. This is when:

• Your body is beginning to cool down
• Your heart rate is returning to normal
• Your body is most ready to absorb fluids
• It’s the optimal time to flush your urinary tract

Try to drink at least one full glass of water during this time.

Before Going to Sleep

If you have sex before going to sleep, it’s still important to drink something. Many people skip this because they don’t want to wake up to use the bathroom, but even a small glass of water is better than nothing. It helps:

• Prevent waking up dehydrated
• Reduce morning headaches
• Keep your mucous membranes moist (like your mouth and throat)
• Support your body’s natural repair processes during sleep

Special Situation: When Trying to Conceive

If you’re having sex to try to have a baby, drinking habits are the same. There are no special drinks that will help sperm reach the egg. The most important thing is still to stay hydrated with water or other healthy drinks.

Easy Drink Recipes for After Sex

Here are some simple drinks you can make at home that are perfect for after sex:

Lemon Mint Refresher

• 1 glass of cold water
• Squeeze of half a lemon
• Few mint leaves, slightly crushed
• Optional: tiny bit of honey

Stir together and enjoy for a refreshing, cleansing drink.

Simple Homemade Electrolyte Drink

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• Small pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)

Mix well and drink to replace lost minerals.

Berry Recovery Smoothie

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup milk or plant milk
• Handful of berries (strawberries, blueberries)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients until smooth for hydration plus nutrients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does drinking water after sex prevent pregnancy?

No, drinking water (or any drink) after sex cannot prevent pregnancy. Water doesn’t reach your reproductive organs in a way that would affect sperm or eggs. Only proper birth control methods can prevent pregnancy.

Can drinking cranberry juice after sex prevent UTIs?

Cranberry juice might help prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of your urinary tract, but it works best if you drink it regularly, not just after sex. Water is still the best immediate drink to flush your system.

How much should I drink after sex?

For most people, 8-16 ounces (1-2 cups) of water or other healthy fluid is a good amount to drink after sex. If you had a very long or sweaty session, you might need more.

Is it bad if I don’t drink anything after sex?

While you won’t have immediate problems from not drinking after sex once in a while, making it a habit to skip post-sex hydration could lead to more UTIs, feeling more tired, and slower recovery.

Should men and women drink different things after sex?

The basic needs are the same for all genders: rehydration and replenishing electrolytes. However, women might want to pay extra attention to drinking water to help prevent UTIs, which they get more often than men.

Does drinking soda after sex cause yeast infections?

Drinking soda itself doesn’t directly cause yeast infections. However, high sugar intake overall might contribute to creating conditions where yeast can grow more easily in the body. Water is always a better choice.

Is milk a good choice after sex?

Milk provides protein and can help with muscle recovery, but some people find dairy products create more mucus or cause digestive issues. If you tolerate milk well, it can be a decent option, especially if you’re also hungry.

Does what I drink after sex affect how I smell the next day?

What you drink doesn’t significantly change your natural body odor or the smell of your genital area. Good hygiene practices matter much more than what you drink.

Taking care of your body after sex includes making smart choices about what you drink. Water is always the best option, followed by electrolyte drinks, herbal teas, and natural juices. Avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, and caffeine right after sex. Making hydration a regular part of your after-sex routine will help you feel better, reduce your risk of infections, and support your overall sexual health.