If you often feel thirsty, have dry skin, or struggle with digestive issues, hydration may be the underlying cause. Here are the top reasons why drinking more water should be your priority, and some tips to achieve it.
By Jayne Turner – Staff Writer
Signs of Dehydration
Dry Skin: When you are not getting enough water, your body lacks enough fluids to keep skin hydrated, making it feel dry, tight, and less elastic. It may even appear dull and flaky.
Fatigue: Less liquid intake leads to slower oxygen delivery to muscles and tissues, leading to low energy and poor recovery from workouts.
Thirst: This is the most obvious sign of dehydration, but did you know that when you first “feel” thirsty, your body is already running low on water? This is why it’s important to drink water throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
Reasons to Drink More Water
Improve Physical Performance: Since less water makes you more tired, by increasing your hydration, you’ll have more energy and thus, better workout performance and recovery. Hydration allows oxygen to readily reach your fatigued muscles, replenishing energy and reducing that sore muscle feeling.
Enhance Brain Function: Drinking enough water helps the brain stay alert and focused by supporting proper blood flow and oxygen delivery. This will improve concentration, memory, and overall mental clarity. Brain fog, begone!
Support Digestion: Water aids digestion by helping break down food and extract nutrients in the digestive tract. It will support regular bowel movements, too.
Healthy Skin: Hydrated skin is happy skin. When you drink enough water, your skin shows it with increased elasticity, moisture, and bounce. Your skin will glow from the inside out with proper hydration! It may even improve the skin barrier, preventing breakouts.
Overall Health Support: Since water is an essential element in nearly every bodily function, staying well hydrated helps the body function efficiently and supports long-term health. Some examples of systems that water supports are temperature regulation, nutrient transport, and waste removal. All things essential to body functioning!
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How Much Water Should You Be Drinking?
You may have heard that “8 glasses a day” is sufficient for proper hydration. There are a few problems with this. First, how much water is “a glass”? Next, that doesn’t account for individual hydration needs, like activity level and body composition.
One simple method is drinking half your body weight in ounces. For example, 100oz for a 200lb person. It sounds like a lot, but remember, water comes from lots of sources. Water-rich vegetables, tea, and coffee all factor into your daily liquid intake.
Remember, these are guidelines. You’ll know you’re properly hydrated if you rarely feel thirsty, have pale yellow to clear urine, and your energy levels are stable.
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Tips to Drink More Water
Reusable water bottle: Having a reusable water bottle gives you easy access to water throughout the day, making it easier to stay hydrated. By taking sips of water all day, you’ll easily hit your water goals. It also reduces reliance on single-use plastics, which has a positive impact on the environment.
Routine: Building a routine, such as drinking a glass of water with every meal, is a good way to increase intake without thinking about it. My favorite way to drink water is by starting my day with water. Before I even get out of bed, I chug water! If you typically have a soda or glass of wine with dinner, try swapping that for a glass of water.
