No doubt, EVERYONE has heard multiple times from multiple sources that you need to drink more water. But WHY?
No doubt, EVERYONE has heard multiple times from multiple sources that you need to drink more water. But WHY? And, sure, we’ve probably all heard that the body is made up of mostly water (about 60%!). But what is all that water doing in there, and why is it so important? Well, we found some amazing and scientifically proven benefits of drinking water that you should know about. They will have you skipping the soda and reaching for that bottle of H2O instead and often!
Here are 8 amazing benefits of drinking water you might not know about.
- Boosts skin health and complexion
- Aids in weight loss
- Enhances physical performance and muscle health
- Regulates digestion and aids in kidney function and detoxification
- Improves brain function, energy levels, and nutrient absorption
- Helps properly regulate body temperature
- Lubricates and cushions joints
- May help prevent and decrease headaches
Let’s look at each of these benefits in detail to learn more.
1. Boosts skin health and complexion
Skin is the largest organ in the human body. Therefore, one of the most important benefits of drinking water is that it boosts skin health and complexion.
Skin is made up of about 60% water, so proper hydration is paramount in skin function, feel, and appearance. Dehydration causes skin to become dry, flaky, and prone to premature wrinkling. Alternatively, fully hydrated skin tends to retain elasticity longer and to be more radiant, clear, and glowing.
2. Aids in weight loss
One of the most overlooked benefits of drinking water is its role in weight loss.
The signals for hunger and thirst are very similar for your brain to process. Because of this, 37% of people mistake the feeling of thirst for hunger. So next time you feel a little peckish, consider what you’ve had to eat and drink already. Your body might be telling you to reach for a glass of water, not that bag of potato chips.
Drinking water may stimulate your metabolism, which ultimately helps with weight management. Drinking water (especially when chilled) kicks thermogenesis (heat production in your body) into gear. Your body uses energy to warm the fluid to body temperature, which increases your metabolic rate an average of 30%.
Your body needs water to burn fat for energy in a process called lipolysis. According to a 2016 study, increasing your water intake may increase the efficiency of this fat-burning process.
3. Enhances physical performance and muscle health
Another one of the major benefits of drinking water is that it enhances physical performance and muscle health.
Being dehydrated by even 1 or 2% can cause signs and symptoms, many of which significantly affect physical performance. Some of these symptoms include decreased motivation, fatigue, and increased difficulty while exercising. Since it is common for athletes to lose about 6-10% of their water through sweat, rehydration becomes critical to performance.
Muscles are composed of about 80% water and therefore depend on hydration for proper function. Water dissolves electrolytes and distributes them throughout the body. An electrolyte imbalance leads to muscle cramps and fatigue. Dehydration also causes muscle cells to break down proteins faster and build muscle more slowly. This makes your workouts much less effective.
4. Regulates digestion and aids in kidney function and detoxification
Some of the most important benefits of drinking water relate to the digestive system and kidney function.
Water helps to regulate digestion by working with the acids in your stomach to help break down food. It also travels throughout your system aiding in nutrient absorption and softens stool for easier bowel movements, which prevents constipation.
Water helps the kidneys make urine to remove wastes from your blood, which detoxifies the body. Proper hydration can prevent kidney stones and UTIs, whereas severe dehydration can cause kidney damage.
5. Improves brain function, energy levels, and nutrient absorption
One of the proven benefits of drinking water is that it improves brain function, energy levels, and nutrient absorption.
Your brain is composed of almost 75% water. When fully hydrated, your brain will be more focused, efficient, clear, and creative.
Water helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the brain and the rest of the body, aiding in proper absorption. This helps keep your energy levels up and prevents fatigue.
6. Helps properly regulate body temperature
One of the amazing benefits of drinking water you might not know about is that it helps regulate body temperature.
Your skin holds most of your body’s water. Heat activates sweat glands in the skin, which bring the water (and salt) to the surface to evaporate as sweat. This cools the body to keep it within a healthy temperature range.
When your body lacks water (hypohydration), your body’s heat storage increases, and its ability to tolerate the heat strain decreases. This causes multiple negative effects on the body in the midst of exercise or excessive heat. Drinking enough water will counteract these negative effects.
7. Lubricates and cushions joints
Another of the little-known benefits of drinking water is that it lubricates and cushions your joints. The Synovial fluid that directly lubricates the joints is made up mostly of water. So dehydration can cause increased friction between joints and contribute to joint pain.
8. May help prevent and decrease headaches
One of the most significant benefits of drinking water is its possible connection to headache prevention and relief. Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of dehydration. Some studies have also shown that drinking water can relieve symptoms in people who experience frequent headaches.
Clearly, water plays an incredibly important role in all of the body’s functions and our daily life. Hopefully, knowing about these proven benefits of drinking water helps you decide to try to drink more water today!
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