•Drinking water is a crucial part of staying healthy,it’s commonly recommended that you drink eight 8 glasses of water per day.
Drinking water is a crucial part of staying healthy as it helps maintain a balance in body fluids.
Water is the human body's principal component.
The body comprises around 60 per cent water and it’s commonly recommended that you drink eight 8 glasses of water per day (the 8×8 rule.)
It's advisable to get a cute portable water bottle to encourage you to stay hydrated.
Below are a few detailed benefits of why hydration is important for you and your everyday functions.
Image: HANNIE PETRA
1) Helps in the weight loss journey.
Drinking plenty of water has been linked to helping people lose weight.
This is because water can increase satiety (feeling full) and boost ones metabolic rate.
Some research suggests that increasing water intake can promote weight loss by increasing your metabolism, which then increases the number of calories you burn on a daily basis.
2) Helps detoxify the body
The water we drink is absorbed by the intestines, and circulated throughout the body in the form of body fluids such as blood.
These perform various functions that keep us alive like delivering oxygen and nutrients to the cells, and taking away waste materials, which are then eliminated with urination.
3) Helps prevent hangovers
A hangover refers to a severe headache, feeling of nausea and other unpleasant symptoms experienced after big alcohol intake.
Alcohol is a diuretic (a drug that causes increased passage of urine), thus it makes one lose more water than they're taking in.
This can lead to dehydration.
Even though, dehydration isn’t the main cause of hangovers, it can bring about symptoms such as: thirst, fatigue, headache, and dry mouth.
A good way to reduce the occurrence of hangovers is to drink a glass of water between drinks and have at least one big glass of water before going to bed.
4) Significantly affects energy levels and brain function
Your brain is strongly influenced by your hydration status.
Studies show that even mild dehydration, such as the loss of 1–3% of body weight, can impair many aspects of brain function and result to dizziness and a woozy feeling in your head.
So to ensure peak brain performance one is encouraged to stay hydrated.
5) May help prevent and ease headaches
Dehydration can trigger headaches and migraine in some individuals
Research has shown that a headache is one of the most common symptoms of dehydration.
On top of that, some studies have also shown that drinking water (especially warm water) can help relieve headaches in people who experience frequent headaches.
6) May help relieve constipation
Constipation is defined as difficulty emptying the bowels due to hardened stool, and it is a common problem.
In as much as fibre helps increasing fluid intake is often recommended as a part of the treatment protocol, and there’s evidence to back this up.
Low water consumption appears to be a risk factor for constipation in both younger and older individuals
Increasing hydration may help decrease constipation.
Mineral water may be a particularly beneficial beverage for those with constipation.
7) Helps lower blood pressure
Keeping hydrated has been linked to helping lower blood pressure for people suffering from high blood pressure.
People suffering from high blood pressure are encouraged to stay well hydrated as dehydration has very big negatives on their bodies.
For example it causes the blood to become thicker or viscous due to the reduced water content in the blood.
When it comes to blood pressure health no other beverage beats it.
Drinking a glass of water before having a bath can lower down your blood pressure. Especially if the water is warm, it expands the blood vessels, which causes the blood pressure to drop
With all this in mind, ensure that you make water your best friend.
Stay healthy.