The importance of hydration
And how you can drink more
Water is an essential nutrient for the body, and we have to keep drinking it every day to maintain good hydration. About 66% of our total body weight is water - muscles are about 75% water, our brain tissues 85%, our blood and the kidneys about 82%, and even our bones are 22% water. So to get every part of our body working well, we need to be drinking well too.
Water plays many important roles within the body. Apart from being the main ingredient in most of our body’s cells (except for fat cells), it also cushions and lubricates our joints (like hips, shoulders, elbows, and fingers) allowing us to move better. It transports nutrients around our blood system and carries waste away from the body cells and through the kidneys. It also helps regulate body temperature by redistributing heat from muscles that are working hard, taking that heat up to the skin and cooling the body through perspiration.
While we can live without a lot of nutrients for weeks, or even months, the human body can only survive a few days without water - no other liquid or solid is more crucial to our survival.
Benefits of drinking water for our muscles
Our muscles are mostly water, so when we have enough of it, our muscles work better. For our brains, this means increasing our ability to concentrate on tasks. In the digestive tract, water helps us to dissolve nutrients so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Enough water means our heart can work more efficiently, pumping more blood but lowering our heart rate at the same time, and when our skin stays moist we preserve the elasticity in it.
The benefits for our bodies
When we are hydrated we feel better - headaches, muscle spasms, fatigue, depression, and back pain are all symptoms of dehydration. We also look better - just as a grape will shrivel in the sun when moisture is lost, so does our skin, so staying hydrated keeps our skin cells full and plump. The constant movement of water through our system also helps our bodies remove toxins and the by-products of digestion and fat breakdown, so if you’re losing weight, keeping up the water intake is essential.
Often when we’re hungry, we’re not actually craving food - we’re thirsty. Next time you’ve got hunger pains, start with a glass of water; this might just satisfy the craving without the calories. Regular water consumption can help regulate your appetite, increase your metabolism, boost your energy levels, and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol - it’s the best free medicine there is!
How much do you need to drink?
While eight cups (two litres, not eight glasses) is the most common answer, your body may require up to 12 cups each day, depending on your body weight - the more you weigh the more you need to drink. Also when you exercise, you need to drink more to replace the fluids that were lost through sweat, puffing, and muscle functions. If you’re not very active and the weather is cooler, the number you need each day may be a little lower.
Common signs of dehydration include headaches, tiredness, infrequent toilet stops, producing urine that is a very dark colour, dizziness, thirst, dry skin, a dry mouth and sometimes even chills. Your body is unique so only you can tell how much water is right for you, but start with eight cups each day, and drink more on the days you are exercising.
Tips to drink more
In winter especially it can be harder to keep up your water intake, but it’s just a matter of developing good habits and keeping consistent. Try some of these ideas:
• If it’s a cold winter’s day, have a cup of hot water with a splash of lemon or lime.
• Keep a water bottle next to your favourite armchair at home or on the table.
• Start the day with a glass of water before you have any food, and pour a glass of water to have with every meal.
• Water can come through your food as well - watermelon and tomatoes have a higher water content, whereas processed foods have little if any water. Eat fresh fruit, vegetables, and dairy that have a high water content where you can.
Be aware, too much water can be just as harmful!
While it’s important to be drinking lots of water, all water isn’t good water. Excess water can actually be just as dangerous, and unfortunately has a lot of the same signs and symptoms as too little water, so be aware of how much you drink each day (especially important for those with a history of kidney problems). If you’ve got high blood pressure, swelling in the lower legs, or heart conditions, check with your doctor first about how much water you should be drinking each day - your requirements may be a little different.
Plastic water bottles can leach harmful chemicals into the water you’re drinking, so keep water bottles out of the direct sun, avoid keeping and reusing single use plastic bottles, and invest in a quality water bottle designed for multiple uses.
Try and spread your water consumption throughout the day too. Your body can process about one litre of water each hour, so if you guzzle more than this your body will struggle to keep up, and you’ll lose the benefits of all that water. Drink regularly and consistently over the course of the day, but have a little more before and after your workout sessions so you can exercise (and recover) well too.
Water plays many important roles within the body. Apart from being the main ingredient in most of our body’s cells (except for fat cells), it also cushions and lubricates our joints (like hips, shoulders, elbows, and fingers) allowing us to move better. It transports nutrients around our blood system and carries waste away from the body cells and through the kidneys. It also helps regulate body temperature by redistributing heat from muscles that are working hard, taking that heat up to the skin and cooling the body through perspiration.
While we can live without a lot of nutrients for weeks, or even months, the human body can only survive a few days without water - no other liquid or solid is more crucial to our survival.
Benefits of drinking water for our muscles
Our muscles are mostly water, so when we have enough of it, our muscles work better. For our brains, this means increasing our ability to concentrate on tasks. In the digestive tract, water helps us to dissolve nutrients so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Enough water means our heart can work more efficiently, pumping more blood but lowering our heart rate at the same time, and when our skin stays moist we preserve the elasticity in it.
The benefits for our bodies
When we are hydrated we feel better - headaches, muscle spasms, fatigue, depression, and back pain are all symptoms of dehydration. We also look better - just as a grape will shrivel in the sun when moisture is lost, so does our skin, so staying hydrated keeps our skin cells full and plump. The constant movement of water through our system also helps our bodies remove toxins and the by-products of digestion and fat breakdown, so if you’re losing weight, keeping up the water intake is essential.
Often when we’re hungry, we’re not actually craving food - we’re thirsty. Next time you’ve got hunger pains, start with a glass of water; this might just satisfy the craving without the calories. Regular water consumption can help regulate your appetite, increase your metabolism, boost your energy levels, and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol - it’s the best free medicine there is!
How much do you need to drink?
While eight cups (two litres, not eight glasses) is the most common answer, your body may require up to 12 cups each day, depending on your body weight - the more you weigh the more you need to drink. Also when you exercise, you need to drink more to replace the fluids that were lost through sweat, puffing, and muscle functions. If you’re not very active and the weather is cooler, the number you need each day may be a little lower.
Common signs of dehydration include headaches, tiredness, infrequent toilet stops, producing urine that is a very dark colour, dizziness, thirst, dry skin, a dry mouth and sometimes even chills. Your body is unique so only you can tell how much water is right for you, but start with eight cups each day, and drink more on the days you are exercising.
Tips to drink more
In winter especially it can be harder to keep up your water intake, but it’s just a matter of developing good habits and keeping consistent. Try some of these ideas:
• If it’s a cold winter’s day, have a cup of hot water with a splash of lemon or lime.
• Keep a water bottle next to your favourite armchair at home or on the table.
• Start the day with a glass of water before you have any food, and pour a glass of water to have with every meal.
• Water can come through your food as well - watermelon and tomatoes have a higher water content, whereas processed foods have little if any water. Eat fresh fruit, vegetables, and dairy that have a high water content where you can.
Be aware, too much water can be just as harmful!
While it’s important to be drinking lots of water, all water isn’t good water. Excess water can actually be just as dangerous, and unfortunately has a lot of the same signs and symptoms as too little water, so be aware of how much you drink each day (especially important for those with a history of kidney problems). If you’ve got high blood pressure, swelling in the lower legs, or heart conditions, check with your doctor first about how much water you should be drinking each day - your requirements may be a little different.
Plastic water bottles can leach harmful chemicals into the water you’re drinking, so keep water bottles out of the direct sun, avoid keeping and reusing single use plastic bottles, and invest in a quality water bottle designed for multiple uses.
Try and spread your water consumption throughout the day too. Your body can process about one litre of water each hour, so if you guzzle more than this your body will struggle to keep up, and you’ll lose the benefits of all that water. Drink regularly and consistently over the course of the day, but have a little more before and after your workout sessions so you can exercise (and recover) well too.