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The importance of drinking enough water is something that everyone has heard all throughout their life, yet many of us still cannot seem to stay properly hydrated. Water truly is an essential element for our body, though, so it’s crucial that we all make a conscious effort to get enough of it throughout the day.

Are you still not convinced about the importance of hydration? Continue reading to see just how much of our well-being is affected by water, and some tips on how you can increase your daily water intake.

The Importance of Staying Hydrated

Water plays an essential role in many functions of our body, such as keeping joints lubricated, regulating body temperature, preventing infections, keeping organs functioning properly, delivering nutrients to cells and can help you keep up with your kids.

Not only does water play a role in all those functions, but being properly hydrated also impacts us on a much more broad scale by improving cognition, sleep quality, and mood. When these areas are impacted by not drinking enough water, you can experience repercussions all throughout your body.

The Detrimental Health Effects of Dehydration

Suffering from dehydration can have drastic effects in all areas of your life. If you suffer from any of the below conditions, it may be time to consider if you are drinking enough water.

Dry Skin

Some people naturally have drier skin than others, and sometimes dry skin can be blamed on the time of year, with skin often becoming drier in the winter months. However, if you have dry skin that does not improve, even with regular lotion application, this may be a sign of dehydration.

Dental Problems

Water is a key component of saliva, so when you are dehydrated your body does not produce enough saliva, creating a dry mouth.  Beyond being unpleasant, the dry mouth that dehydration causes can have detrimental effects on your oral health.  This is because saliva plays a vital role in managing the bad bacteria found in your mouth. When you do not have enough saliva, these bacteria can run rampant, damaging your teeth or infecting the gums.

Not only can this cause dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease, but these bacteria can also cause bad breath.

Headaches

There are many causes of headaches, but one cause is from dehydration. While scientists are not entirely sure why dehydration headaches occur, they suspect that it has to do with the meninges, which are the pain receptors in the lining around the brain. When you are dehydrated, fluid can shift out of the brain, which causes traction on the meninges and may trigger its pain receptors. Thankfully, though, these headaches are easily remedied by drinking more water.

Infections

Dehydration can cause more infections, specifically urinary tract infections (UTIs), because there is not enough water in the body to flush away bacteria from the bladder. A 2018 study found that women who drank more water experienced fewer episodes of recurrent UTIs, so drinking water can help to prevent this unpleasant infection.

Moodiness

If you are feeling moodier than usual, it may be due to dehydration. Research has shown that even mild dehydration can cause neurological changes that impact our ability to focus and increase irritability.

Tips For Drinking More Water

The amount of water someone needs in a day varies based on gender, activity level, health status, and weight, but, on average, it’s recommended for men to aim for 16 cups of water a day and women to aim for 11.

Set a Daily Goal

Setting a goal can help you to drink more water, with research showing that simply setting a goal can increase your chances of making a lasting positive change.

When setting a goal, be specific about how much water you wish to drink daily. For example, your goal might be to drink 64 oz of water a day.

Whatever your goal, it is often best to record your progress, as marking down daily achievements can help keep you motivated and build a lasting habit.

Keep a Water Bottle with You

When you have a water bottle with you at all times, you are more likely to drink more water. The saying “out of sight, out of mind” is true here, so ensuring that water is always in sight can help you achieve your daily hydration goals.

It’s a common misconception that you only need to drink water when you feel thirsty. In fact, feeling as though your mouth is dry and sticky is a sign that your body is dehydrated, and you should be drinking water before you reach this point. When you sip on water throughout the day, you ensure your body is always properly hydrated.

Follow a Schedule

If you find yourself going the whole day drinking very little water, try setting aside specific times a day where you drink a glass of water. Some people like to drink a glass as soon as they wake up, while others find that drinking a glass before each meal serves as an effective trigger to help them remember to drink water.

Find times that work for you, and see how quickly a habit forms when you drink water at the same time each day.

Flavor Your Water

Many people do not drink enough water because they do not like the taste of it or need a little something to keep their drink interesting. Instead of turning to beverages such as soda and coffee, though, try adding a flavoring to your water.

Many people enjoy adding fruit to their water, with some common additions being lemon, cucumber, or strawberries.

For something more convenient, try our Glutathione Rapid Boost+. It’s a fruit punch flavored packet you add to your water, giving you a caffeine-free burst of energy that also increases focus, endurance, and immune support.

Eat Foods High in Water

While daily water goals are often referred to in terms of “cups,” that does not mean that all of your water has to be drunk. If you are struggling to drink enough water during the day, try adding foods with high water content to your meals to help increase the amount of water you give your body.

Some foods high in water include: 

  • celery
  • lettuce
  • cabbage
  • zucchini
  • cantaloupe
  • watermelon
  • honeydew melon

Not only are these fruits and vegetables high in water, but they also contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help to improve your health.

Final Remarks

With the human body composed of about 60% water, it’s understandable that this is an essential component that we need to replenish throughout the day. Water is necessary for many processes in the body, including regulating body temperature, preventing infections, and keeping your organs functioning properly. When you aren’t adequately hydrated, you will feel it.

To help keep your hydration levels up, try forming habits such as keeping a water bottle nearby or drinking a glass at certain times a day. It also helps to eat foods with a high water content or flavor your water with drink mixes such as Glutathione Rapid Boost+, which provides energy, increases focus, and improves immune function.

Whatever method of drinking more water works for you and your lifestyle, be sure to stick with it to see the benefits proper hydration offers your health.

 

References
Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity: Water and Healthier Drinks. (2022). https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/water-and-healthier-drinks.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fhealthywater%2Fdrinking%2Fnutrition%2Findex.html
Turner, M., & Ship, J. (2007). Dry Mouth and Its Effects on the Oral Health of Elderly People. The Journal Of The American Dental Association, 138, S15-S20. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2007.0358
Arca, K., & Halker Singh, R. (2021). Dehydration and Headache. Current Pain And Headache Reports, 25(8). doi: 10.1007/s11916-021-00966-z
Hooton, T., Vecchio, M., Iroz, A., Tack, I., Dornic, Q., Seksek, I., & Lotan, Y. (2018). Effect of Increased Daily Water Intake in Premenopausal Women With Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections. JAMA Internal Medicine, 178(11), 1509. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4204
Armstrong, L., Ganio, M., Casa, D., Lee, E., McDermott, B., & Klau, J. et al. (2011). Mild Dehydration Affects Mood in Healthy Young Women. The Journal Of Nutrition, 142(2), 382-388. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.142000
Dietary Reference Intake for Electrolytes and Water. (2005).  https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/dietary-reference-intakes-for-electrolytes-and-water
Epton, T., Currie, S., & Armitage, C. (2017). Unique effects of setting goals on behavior change: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal Of Consulting And Clinical Psychology, 85(12), 1182-1198. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000260
The Water in You: Water and the Human Body | U.S. Geological Survey. (2019). Retrieved 7 July 2022, from https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-you-water-and-human-body

 

 

 

 

 

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