It’s common to hear that water is essential for your health. But why?

When you stop to think that more than two thirds of your body is water, it’s obvious how important it is to stay well hydrated. This liquid makes up a bulk of your body weight and is involved in numerous significant functions, including:

• flushing out waste from your body
• regulating body temperature
• helping your brain function

How much water should you drink?

Every person’s requirements are exclusive to them and depend on their health, age, size and weight as well as activity levels, the type of job they do and the climate they live in. Drinking little and regularly is the best way to stay hydrated. In the UK, the Eatwell Guide advises we should aim for 6-8 glasses of water and other liquids each day to replace normal water loss – around 1.2 to 1.5 litres. Water, lower fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.

Drink the right amount of water.

Being focussed to the amount of water you drink each day is vital for optimal health. Most individuals drink when they’re thirsty, which helps regulate daily water intake.

You’ll have to increase your water intake if you’re exercising or living in a hotter region to avoid dehydration.

Other ways to measure hydration involve your thirst and the colour of your urine. Feeling thirsty signifies your body is not receiving satisfactory hydration. Urine that is dark or coloured implies dehydration. Pale or non-coloured urine usually indicates proper hydration.

Water is key to virtually every part of your body. Not only will hitting your daily recommended intake help you maintain your present state of being, it could even increase your overall health. 

Here are some ideas for how you can be sure you drink enough:

• Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go, then you can sip whenever you feel the need.
• Keep track of your intake. 
• Pace yourself to approach your daily recommended intake by the end of the day.

Benefits of drinking recommended intake of water:

Improves mood: Research suggests that losing as little as 1% of your body weight in fluid can reduce mental performance, energy, cognition, emotions and can increase anxiety 

Improves in cognitive function: Good hydration is important to staying in tip-top cognitive shape signifies that not drinking sufficient water can negatively influence your focus, alertness, and short-term memory. 

Helps with nutrient absorption: Water helps dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from your food. It then delivers these vitamin components to the rest of your body for use. 

Regulates your bodies temperature: Staying hydrated is vital to maintaining your bodies temperature.  Your body loses water through sweat through physical activity and in hot environments. Your sweat keeps your body cool, but your body temperature will increase if you don’t replenish the water you lose. That’s because your body loses electrolytes and plasma when it’s dehydrated. If you’re sweating more than normal, make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. 

It protects your tissues, spinal cord, and joints: Water intake helps lubricate and cushion your joints, spinal cord, and tissues. This will help you enjoy physical activity and decline discomfort caused by conditions like arthritis.

 It helps excrete waste through perspiration, urination and defecation: Your body uses water to perspire, urinate, and have bowel movements. Perspiration regulates body temperature when you’re exercising or in warm temperatures. You need water to replenish the lost fluid from sweat. You also need sufficient water in your system to have healthy stool and avoid constipation. Your kidneys are also essential for filtering out waste through urination. Sufficient water intake helps your kidneys work more efficiently and helps to prevent kidney stones. 

It helps maximise physical performance: If you exercise, some studies suggest that as little as a 2% loss in your body’s water content  may impact how well you perform physically. 

Consuming sufficient water through physical activity is necessary. Athletes may perspire up to 6 to 10 percent of body weight during physical activity.

Hydration also affects your strength, power, and endurance.

You may be more inclined to feel the effects of dehydration if you’re participating in endurance training or high-intensity sports. Negative effects of exercise in the heat without enough water can incorporate severe medical conditions, like decreased blood pressure and hyperthermia. Severe dehydration can cause seizures and even death. 

Can prevent constipation: Consuming fibre isn’t the only way to avoid constipation. Ensuring you drink an adequate amount of water is also an essential part to maintaining a healthy bowel movement. If you are already suffering from constipation, you might find that drinking carbonated water as well as plain water could ease symptoms. 

Assists in digestion: Drinking water before, during and after a meal can help your body break down the food you eat more simply. This can help you digest food more successfully and get the most out of your meals. Studies shows that the body adjusts to changes in the consistency of food and stomach contents, whether more solid or more liquid. 

Helps with nutrient absorption: Water helps dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from your food. It then delivers these vitamin components to the rest of your body for use. 

Helps you lose weight: Research has linked body fat and weight loss with drinking water. Drinking extra water while dieting and exercising could just help you lose extra pounds.

Improves blood oxygen: Water carries helpful nutrients and oxygen to your whole body. Getting your daily water intake can increase your circulation and have a positive influence on your overall health.

Saliva:

Water is a main component of saliva. Saliva also includes small amounts of electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes. It’s vital for breaking down solid food and keeping your mouth healthy.

Your body normally produces enough saliva with regular fluid intake. Nevertheless, your saliva production might decrease as an outcome of age or certain medications or therapies.

If your mouth is drier than normal and raising your water intake isn’t helping, see your doctor. 

Prevents overall dehydration:

Dehydration is the consequence of your body not consuming sufficient water. And because water is crucial to so many bodily functions, dehydration can be very dangerous.

Severe dehydration can result in a number of severe complications, comprising:

• swelling in your brain
• kidney failure
• seizures

Make sure you drink enough water to make up for what’s lost through sweat, urination, and bowel movements to avoid dehydration.