Why Proper Hydration Is Essential

Feb. 01, 2018

You’re made up of water! So, before you start to lose yourself to dehydration, get some fluid in you stat! Your life depends on it!

Drinking plenty of water is something that many people struggle with, especially when what is actually plenty is more than many people realize! The human body is made up of 50–65% water, which indicates the absolute importance of this fluid for our health and our ability to live. Aside from being a major component of our body’s makeup, water has many essential roles in our daily movement, health, and life.

There are many reasons it’s of high importance to drink more water. Some top reasons include:

Water helps control and regulate our body temperature, keeping it in check so that our brain and vital organs don’t overheat or get too cold.
Water maintains the balance of bodily fluids. It allows for the circulation of these fluids within the body, such as our blood, lymph, digestive fluids.
It provides a medium for the body to transport and assimilate nutrients to be used by the body.
It helps lubricate the joints of the body to allow for comfortable, pain-free, cushioned movement.
Water moistens tissues such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
It provides bulk to stools to allow you to have bowel movements.
Water helps the body flush out wastes and toxins via the stool, urine, and sweat.

So, what does all this mean to your day-to-day life? While it’s obvious from the above points that drinking water is important to our body’s ability to function, what are some of the effects you’ll likely experience from drinking more water?

Improved digestion
Decreased water retention and bloating
Improved energy and less fatigue
Clearer mental focus and memory
Decrease or elimination of headaches
Improved weight loss efforts
Less toxicity and it’s associated symptoms (fatigue, headaches, achiness)
Improved skin complexion
Less or no acne
Bowel regularity
Enhanced immunity
Better vision
Improved or non-existent cramps or muscle spasms
Enhanced athletic performance

It’s clear that everybody needs an abundance of water, but how do you know how much is plenty? There is no one right answer, as there are a number of factors that can determine an individual’s water requirements, such as gender, height, activity level, sweat rate, etc. But, there are some general guidelines for everybody. On average, each person should get at least a cup of water an hour. Every person should aim for about a gallon a day of water. This need is greater if you:

Are sweating and physically active
In a hot environment (especially if dry)
Are sick
Have been drinking soda pop, alcohol, or coffee

It’s also important to note that this water should be consumed over the course of a day. The body can act somewhat like a sponge, and if you chug your gallon quickly, the body can only absorb and use so much of it, and it will excrete the rest. You need to keep your sponge continually wet and hydrated by sipping on your water throughout the day.

Even if you are aware of how important frequent water is, it can be hard to do! We’ll leave you with some top tips to help you get and stay properly hydrated every single day!

Always keep a water bottle with you
Fill a gallon jug with water and have it finished by the end of the day, this way you visually can see how much you’ve consumed and how much you have to go
Set reminders for yourself, whether this be physical marks on your water jug, reminders on your calendar or phone, or any other form of reminder that would work well for you
When you start to feel hunger, make a habit of seeing this as a cue or reminder to make sure you’re not just thirsty
Have fun with water infusions to help make water more fun, such as by adding fresh herbs, fruits, or veggies to your water.