Hello and welcome to this week’s blog post! I’m back again, and today I want to discuss the benefits of a basic human need…drinking water.
Some readers might think this is a topic that doesn’t need a discussion, as it is quite imperative to our survival.
But it is really surprising how many of us drink little to no water daily.
Want to skip ahead?
1. The Physical Benefits
2. The Psychological Benefits
3. My Personal Experience
4. Establish Drinking Water
as a Habit
5. How Much Water Should
We Be Drinking?
I was one of these people for a long time and have only recently changed my ways.
Over the last 3 months, I have really noticed a difference in how I feel and positive changes in my body. And this is all because I began drinking more water.
I want to discuss my personal experiences with the wonders of hydration later on in this article.
But for now, let’s get into the sciencey bit.
Like this post? Why not pin it for later?
The Physical Benefits
By ‘physical benefits’, I am referring to the changes we notice to the external parts of our bodies, these are usually the changes and benefits most talked about when it comes to water consumption.
1. Boosts your performance during exercise
Physical exertion is the number one reason people stop exercising. They are too tired to carry on. But what if there was a way to extend the period of energised movement?
There is…drinking water is the answer.
Your physical performance can be almost instantly improved by hydrating.
This is especially important when exercising intensely or in hot conditions (see here).
Drinking a good amount of water can prevent reduced motivation and exhaustion.
I have also found, it makes exercising feel less difficult, physically and mentally.
2. Speeds up weight loss
Water is a fast and easy way to boost your metabolism. It is so simple, drink water and lose weight quicker and more efficiently.
A boost in your metabolic rate, helps your body to burn more calories on a daily basis. Therefore, resulting in weight loss.
A great tip is to drink a glass of water 30 minutes before your next meal. It can make you feel fuller and as a result, you intake fewer calories (see here).
3. Keeps your skin bright and tight
When dehydrated, the skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and wrinkling.
Drinking more water can prevent this from happening.
Keeping your body hydrated, will keep your skin hydrated and, in turn, promote the production of collagen.
The Psychological Benefits
The psychological benefits of staying hydrated refers to the affects on the brain and behaviours. These changes are not as commonly discussed as the physical changes as they are often not as obvious.
1. Improves your brain functionality and boosts energy levels
Studies have shown that just mild dehydration (fluid loss of 1-3%) can negatively affect your energy levels and mood, resulting in a poorer performance of your brain and memory.
This is because your brain is highly influenced by your water consumption.
Therefore, increasing the amount of water you are drinking, and staying hydrated, helps your brain and energy do the best they can.
2. Prevents the risk of headaches and can treat existing ones
Dehydration and headaches often go hand-in-hand.
Getting a headache is one of the number one symptoms that you are not drinking enough water (see here).
Studies have also shown a correlation between drinking water and the relief of headaches.
3. Can enhance your mood
Similarly to improved brain functionality, keeping hydrated can also positively affect your mood.
Dehydration has been linked to an increase in fatigue and confusion. This unhealthy state can also progress to feelings of anxiety.
Therefore, as a result of drinking water, your mood is likely to be more positive.
My Personal Experience
As I’m sure you know, there are a tonne more benefits to drinking water and staying hydrated. The list could go on forever.
If you would like to find out more about the positive effects, go ahead and click here.
Along with the enhancements listed above, I also felt a lot of changes to my mental state and overall energy levels.
Firstly, I noticed improvements in my bodily functions. Everything just seemed to work a bit smoother and more efficiently (although I definitely needed to use the toilet more).
I think because my body and its functions felt better, so did I.
My energy and efficiency seemed to double overnight. I now have more energy to be productive and more energy and drive during exercise.
These changes over the past months have also positively affected my mental health. Having more energy and getting more things done, has made me feel happier than I have in forever.
I have loved the differences I have found in myself due to my perseverance with drinking more water and instilling this habit.
Establish Drinking Water as a Habit
Remembering to keep drinking water throughout the day, hasn’t always been as easy for me as it is now.
For someone who only really had a drink with a main meal, it was very unusual for me to be drinking throughout the day, and to choose water over a fizzy drink.
It has taken me about a month to really get the hang of this habit and imprint this into my way of life.
So here is how I did it so you can too!
Invest in a quality water bottle or flask
I purchased a Chilly’s bottle and can not recommend it enough. It is great value for money, as the quality is outstanding and the bottle keeps my water cold for longer than I even need.
I love my water bottle so much, I actually want to drink from it. This investment really kickstarted my waterdrinking and has continued to remind me to stay hydrated.
I seriously recommend everyone gets a reusable water bottle. Not only for yourselves, but also for the environment.
7.7 billion single-use water bottles are used each year, in the UK alone. Most end up polluting our rivers and seas, often endangering wildlife.
Set yourself a goal
In the early days of establishing your habit, it can be very important to set yourself a goal to keep in mind throughout your journey.
For me, I started by simply having a sip of water from my water bottle whenever I remembered.
Eventually, when I was doing this regularly, I set myself a new target to consume a certain amount of cups per day.
Every time I reached my goal, I celebrated my success then set a new one.
Finally, I managed to drink the NHS’s recommended daily allowance with ease.
Track your daily water intake
This was a big one for me. Tracking how much water you drink, can encourage you to drink more by giving yourself a sense of achievement.
You should celebrate every day that you get closer to your goal and the days you reach it.
Tracking your intake is also important to make sure you are on the right track and are consuming the amount you set out to.
If you have a diary or bullet journal, I recommend creating a monthly habit tracker and making a note of how many glasses you are drinking each day.
Have a glass of water with every meal
By using food as a reminder to drink water, you are much more likely to remember to do it.
I used to always have a fizzy drink or fruit cordial with my meals. This meant I was consuming more sugar and not getting as much water as I needed.
By ensuring you only drink water with your food, you are adding to your daily total whilst keeping yourself hydrated throughout meals.
Keep water by your bed
Having a drink of water just before you go to bed and as soon as you wake up is a great practice, and one which benefits your body in many ways.
Make sure to fill up your water bottle or glass before you get into bed so it will be waiting for you in the morning.
This is an easy reminder for yourself, as well as being a great way to kickstart your mornings.
So How Much Water Should You be Drinking Daily?
Unfortunately there isn’t a straightforward answer to this question.
Many different scientific studies has revealed many different results. Results which are all similar and prove the benefits of drinking water, but have lead to slightly different recommendations.
The recommended amount of water to intake daily, mainly differs from country to country. This can be linked to different climates; the warmer the climate, the more you should drink.
For this article, I use and refer to the UK government’s recommended 6-8 cups or glasses of water per day. This is equivalent to around 1.2 litres.
This includes drinking low-fat milks and low-sugar drinks, including tea and coffee. However, I personally only track my pure water consumption.
But if you would like to, or feel the need, to drink more water than this, please do. You would have to drink between 0.8 to 1.0 litres of water per hour to be at risk of over-hydration.
Related Content
