10 Reasons Drinking Water is Absolutely Necessary For Improving Your Quality Of Life
“The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is:
- About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
- About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages, and food. About 20% of daily fluid intake usually comes from food and the rest from drinks.”
Our bodies are composed of 50%-70% water, and since we expel so much water through urination, perspiration, defecation, and breathing, we have to replenish whatever we lose. Hair, skin, nails, muscles, joints, organs, and bones suffer when we fail to compensate for water loss. Need specifics? Here are 10 reasons why drinking enough water is necessary for improving your quality of life:
1. Increases Energy Levels
Intense physical activity promotes water loss through sweat, so staying hydrated before, during, and after exercise will boost your performance. Think of water as fuel for your body to enhance your workout.
2. Boosts Brain Performance
Studies show that dehydration impairs concentration and memory for subjects of all ages. Therefore, drinking plenty of water is vital for optimal brain function. Have a major presentation coming up? Or a test? Give yourself the best head start by hydrating beforehand.
3. Improves Mood
Need to chill out? Having a glass of water can help calm your nerves and reduce anxiety. Proper hydration quite literally puts smiles on faces in the world.
4. Prevents Headaches and Reduces Symptoms
Did you know that dehydration can trigger a headache? It turns out that dehydration can cause pain and muscle cramps all over your body...not just in your head. This pain is a reminder to drink more water, and in most cases, the symptoms fade after hydrating.
5. Prevents Constipation
A healthy water intake helps to keep your bowels running smoothly. Conversely, dehydration leads to constipation. A lot of postpartum moms suffer from constipation due to so much water loss from birth and from breastfeeding. The journey into motherhood requires drinking a little more water than usual to compensate for all the lost fluids.
6. Prevents Hangovers
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the effects of alcohol consumption are minimized when you drink plenty of water throughout your night? The truth is, hangovers are the result of intense dehydration. A night of drinking too much usually involves increased elimination of fluids as alcohol can encourage frequent bathroom trips. Drinking water before, during, and after consuming alcoholic beverages is the best way to prevent a hangover and reduce the harmful effects of alcohol on the body. At the end of the day, alcohol is poison, so if you are going to indulge, the least you can do is dilute it a bit with a few glasses of water.
7. Helps You Lose Weight
Word on the street is drinking a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal might help you consume less food. Drinking water also slightly helps boost metabolism and burn more calories. When you combine less consumption with more calories burned, the end result is weight loss over time.
8. Prevents Wrinkles
Increasing your water consumption can do wonders for your skin. Aside from the “you’re glowing” compliments, water helps to maintain the elasticity of your skin. On the other hand, dehydration can cause wrinkles and increase the appearance of cellulite. Staying hydrated is key to aging gracefully.
9. Prevents High Blood Pressure
Remember how our bodies are loaded with water? Well that includes our blood as well. Blood is made up of more than 90% water and when this composition becomes slightly dehydrated, blood becomes thicker and blood pressure increases.
10. Prevents Hair Loss
You may be wondering what hydration has to do with hair loss, but did you know that water accounts for a little over 20% of our hair weight? You can’t see it, but water helps hair feel moisturized and helps boost shine. Inadequate water intake can cause hair to be brittle, frizzy, and more prone to breakage and split ends.
So how does a Busy Queen figure out how much water she needs? That answer is not the same for everyone, but we recommend using 11.5 cups per day for women as a general guideline. This figure does incorporate both food AND drinks, so keep in mind that most fruits and vegetables also contain a good amount of water. We recommend avoiding juice and soda as the sugar content can actually help cause dehydration (among other ailments).
A few signs of dehydration to look for: nail splitting/breaking, foul smelling urine that is darker than usual, unexplained aches, pains, or cramps, irritated mood, constipation, fatigue, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
While we can’t be there to monitor how many glasses of water a day you drink for your optimal wellness, we can encourage at least one full glass of water to drink with your daily dose of Take N Go™ Daily Hair Vitamins. Trust that we want you to stay healthy, hydrated, and happy at all times. You deserve it all!
Sources:
Healthline
MayoClinic