Experts say that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. This means they are regularly not consuming the recommended eight glasses of water a day.
While you may think that reaching for that coffee or soda instead of water is harmless, it actually impacts your health in a variety of ways. Water affects so many aspects of our health, many of which go unnoticed.
Keep reading for three good reasons why you should prioritize staying hydrated.
1. Keeps You Energized
The amount of fluids you consume has a direct impact on your energy levels.
Up to 60% of your body weight is comprised of fluids. Throughout the day, you lose a large amount of fluid through your urine, sweat, and even breathing. When your body becomes low on fluids, it alerts you through feelings of tiredness or weakness.
Drinking a glass of water when you notice signs of fatigue will help give you an energy boost.
If you have trouble getting the recommended amount of fluid intake, consider upgrading your water quality. By installing a drinking water purifier, like those of filtap.com.au, your water will taste better and more refreshing.
2. Relieves Constipation
Wondering what happens when you drink water regularly throughout the day? It can actually relieve constipation and keep things in your digestive system moving.
When your body becomes dehydrated, it begins grabbing water from wherever it can get it. Often times, your body absorbs water from your stool, which contributes to constipation.
Adding in a little extra water to your daily diet means that your body is no longer absorbing fluids from your stool. This helps to keep everything running smoothly through your gastrointestinal tract.
If you find yourself struggling with a significant case of constipation, upgrade your drinking water to carbonated water. While experts aren’t sure why carbonated water helps constipation, it does seem to work better than normal drinking water.
3. Promotes Healthy Weight Loss
If you’re interested in losing a few extra pounds of holiday weight, consider switching out your normal fluid intake for water.
When you only drink water, you’re not consuming empty calories that are commonly found in drinks. You’re also not consuming the extra sugar and any other added ingredients.
Drinking water also affects your body’s metabolism. Studies show that after drinking a half-liter of water, your metabolism rate is increased by up to 30% for an hour and a half.
Pay Attention to How Water Affects Your Body
These are just a few of the ways how water affects your body.
If you don’t believe that water has this much impact on your health, try keeping track of your water intake in a journal. For each day, write down how much water you drink, along with your mood and energy level. Odds are you’ll find that you feel better on the days you’re getting enough water.
Look for more ways to keep you and your family healthy? Browse the Family section of this blog for more great content.