Health, Holistic Wellness

Why is Drinking Enough Water Important?

Did you know that about 60% of the adult human body is made up of just water? Every cell, tissue, and organ relies on water to survive and function well. Water helps regulate your body temperature, removes wastes from the body, and lubricates your joints. Thus, staying hydrated is important for your overall health.

Read on to know how much water is recommended to be consumed daily, the health benefits of drinking plenty of water, and some tips on how to stay well-hydrated throughout the day.

Recommended Daily Water Intake

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for how much water everyone should drink in a day. The amount of water you should drink daily depends on your physical activity levels, your health conditions, your medications, and other factors. According to the Institute of Medicine, it has been suggested that women should aim for about 2.7 liters of water a day, while men should aim for about 3.7 liters per day.

Health Benefits of Staying Hydrated

Here are seven proven health benefits that you can enjoy by drinking enough water every day.

Aids in Digestion

Water plays a crucial role in proper digestion of food in your body. It helps break down the food you eat, so your body can absorb the nutrients. Once you drink water, your intestines absorb it into the bloodstream, where it helps to break down nutrients from the food. According to the American Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, water also helps change stools from liquid to solid.

May Help Relieve Constipation

Constipation is a common issue that happens due to infrequent bowel movements, thus making it difficult to pass the stool. Drinking more fluids is often recommended as a part of the treatment since it can soften the stool and make it easier to pass. Not drinking enough water can increase the risk of constipation for people of all ages. Thus staying well-hydrated is very crucial to prevent constipation.

Can Prevent Kidney Stones

Water helps to dilute the salts and minerals present in your body. Not drinking plenty of water can lead to the accumulation of these salts and minerals in the kidneys, resulting in the formation of stones. Your kidneys play a crucial role in keeping you healthy by maintaining the right water balance in the body, regulating blood pressure, and filtering out waste from your body.

Helps Maximize Physical Performance

If you don’t stay hydrated, your physical performance can suffer, especially during intense exercise or high heat. Even losing just 2% of your water content can have a noticeable impact on dehydration in the body. In the case of athletes, this can go as much as 6–10% of their water weight through sweat, leading to altered body temperature, reduced motivation, and increased fatigue, making exercise feel much harder both physically and mentally. Staying well-hydrated has been shown to prevent this from happening and might even reduce the stress on your body during intense workouts.

Can Help in Weight Loss

Drinking plenty of water can make you feel full and boost your metabolic rate. Some studies show that drinking more water can promote weight loss by slightly increasing your metabolism, which can increase the number of calories you burn in a day. The best time to drink water is about half an hour before meals, as it can make you feel fuller and help you eat fewer calories.

Aids in Cognitive Function

Your brain is strongly influenced by how hydrated you are throughout the day. Studies show that even mild dehydration, such as losing 1–3% of your body water content, can negatively impact several aspects of brain function, like concentration and alertness, and even lead to short-term memory loss. Thus, proper hydration is important for better cognitive health.

Provides Anti-aging Benefits

Water is important for maintaining moisture, providing essential nutrients to your skin cells, increasing skin elasticity, and replenishing skin tissue. Lack of water in the body can make your skin flaky, tight, and dry. Dry skin is more likely to develop wrinkles and fine lines, so it’s important to stay hydrated to keep your skin looking its best.

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Tips to Stay Hydrated

No matter what you plan to do, keep drinking water all day long, even if you are not thirsty. Here are some tips to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day.

  • Drink 1 or 2 glasses of water right after you wake up in the morning.
  • Have a glass of water before your meal to help with digestion.
  • Drink a full glass of water about half an hour after your meal.
  • Try sipping on water in the afternoon instead of coffee or tea.
  • Drink water if you get a headache.
  • Keep sipping water before, during, and after your workouts.
  • Finally, have a glass of water before you go to bed.

Conclusion

Water is important for nearly every part of your body to function properly. Not only does meeting your daily recommended intake help you stay as healthy, but it will also help in improving your overall health.

References

Ayotte Jr, David, and Michael P. Corcoran. “Individualized hydration plans improve performance outcomes for collegiate athletes engaging in in-season training.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 15.1 (2018): 27.

Paik, Il-Young, et al. “Fluid replacement following dehydration reduces oxidative stress during recovery.” Biochemical and biophysical research communications 383.1 (2009): 103-107.

Fadda, Roberta, et al. “Effects of drinking supplementary water at school on cognitive performance in children.” Appetite 59.3 (2012): 730-737.

MacFarlane, Niall G. “Digestion and absorption.” Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine 19.3 (2018): 125-127.

Effects of Dehydration on Brain Functioning: A Life-Span Perspective
https://karger.com/anm/article/70/Suppl.%201/30/42512/

Ganio, Matthew S., et al. “Mild dehydration impairs cognitive performance and mood of men.” British Journal of Nutrition 106.10 (2011): 1535-1543.

De Giorgio, Roberto, et al. “Chronic constipation in the elderly: a primer for the gastroenterologist.” BMC gastroenterology 15 (2015): 1-13.

Wei, Qiang. “Water for preventing urinary stones.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2 (2020).

Vij, Vinu A., and Anjali S. Joshi. “Effect of ‘water induced thermogenesis’ on body weight, body mass index and body composition of overweight subjects.” Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: JCDR 7.9 (2013): 1894.

Good hydration linked to healthy aging
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2023/good-hydration-linked-healthy-aging

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