Hydration

The human body is an incredible structure of interconnected parts that must all work together seamlessly to function at 100%. If something isn’t working properly, it sets into effect a chain reaction for the rest of your body. Because our body is nearly two thirds water, proper hydration is essential for optimal performance. So, what happens when we aren’t consuming enough water? Let’s take a closer look at the impact hydration – or lack thereof – has on our bodies.

Cardiovascular Health

Your heart works hard every single day to keep you alive and well. While it pumps blood to your entire body, it also delivers oxygen to your cells. Blood is 90% water, so when you’re dehydrated, your total blood volume in the body decreases. This causes your heart to work harder to get the oxygen-rich blood to cells in need. When there isn’t enough hydration to go around to your cells, blood becomes thicker which makes circulation more difficult, thus risking an increase in your blood pressure.

While being dehydrated won’t kill you (unless you are extremely dehydrated for a few days) it does cause extra stress on the heart and surrounding arteries. If you are someone who is often dehydrated, consistently putting that extra stress on your ticker can lead to bigger health issues such as heart attacks and strokes. If you have a history of heart disease in your family, take extra time to hydrate to give your heart a break!

Physical Performance

Water plays a huge role in maximizing your physical performance. Working out while dehydrated is never a good idea, especially because you’ll be extra susceptible to cramping. Cramps can stop your training or workout dead in its tracks. Not only does water help you during exertion, it’s critical to the recovery process. In order to repair, muscles need water and oxygen. Decreased hydration levels make it harder for our muscles to get the oxygen they need resulting in less hypertrophy (muscle growth) and longer recovery times. Being mindful of your hydration levels is especially important if you are working towards specific fitness goals. Be mindful that soreness and longer recovery times can create barriers that keep us from achieving our goals (who wants to keep working out when you can hardly sit down due to sore muscles?). In addition to our muscles, our joints are affected by our hydration levels. The cartilage and connective tissues that hold our joints together and give them padding are mostly water. Chronic dehydration can cause these joints to deteriorate faster than those with proper hydration. By consistently consuming enough water, you’re not only helping your body in the short term, but you’re also setting yourself up for success in the long run.

Brain Function

Remember when we talked about blood volume? With less oxygen-rich blood, the brain will not function at the same level as it can when you’re fully hydrated. One side effect of dehydration is headaches, caused by the brain asking the rest of the body for more blood.

How much water should I drink?

The answer is, it depends. Each person is unique and has different variables that need to be considered and like so many things in life, there is no one–size–fits–all approach to hydration. General guidelines are half your bodyweight in ounces.

Here are some tips to help you decide when to reach for your water bottle:

When you are thirsty, your body’s telling you that you need more water. Unfortunately, when you feel thirsty chances are, you’re already slightly hydrated so try and avoid getting to that point.
If your urine is light yellow, you are likely drinking enough water

When you’re getting your sweat on, the temperature is registering hot or you are feeling under the weather—make a conscious effort to drink more water.
If you are not regular in the bathroom, you need more water to help digest food and move waste along your digestive tract.
If you are feeling sluggish and tired, your body is telling you to drink more water to increase your blood volume.
When your concentration level and focus is low, grab some water to increase your brain function.
When you are feeling irritable, anxious and/or tense, focus on healthy hydration to improve your mood.

The best way to gauge how much water to drink on a daily basis is by how your body feels and who doesn’t want to feel their absolute best? “Drinking water does more than just quench your thirst—it’s essential to keeping your body functioning properly and feeling healthy,” the Mayo Clinic advises. “Water is your body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Your body depends on water to survive.”

Drinking water is essential to keeping our body functioning properly. Fully hydrated bodies promote lubricated joints, elevated mood, more energy, higher productivity and can even promote weight loss by curbing cravings and mindless snacking. Proper hydration also keeps skin looking fresh and rejuvenated! So, how do we create this positive habit and find ways to incorporate this feeling into our daily lives by drinking more water?

Make It Fun

Get yourself a special water bottle that you’ll enjoy using daily or add fruit like lemons to your water to add a little flavor. Set a goal to drink a certain amount of water daily and reward yourself when you’ve achieved consistency! Still having a hard time? Try downloading an app, like Water Drink Reminder, Hydro Coach, or Daily Water Tracker, that will help you remember when to sip. You can also try and get more hydration through other avenues aside from still water. Sparkling water makes for a fun change of pace with a splash of low–sugar cranberry juice. Fruits and veggies are also loaded with water and can help offer a boost when you’re hitting a slump. Foods with high water content tend to look larger, their higher volume requires more chewing, and they are absorbed more slowly by the body, which helps you feel full. Water-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, oatmeal, and beans.

Lastly, set up a plan to create a habit change and remember: all sips count! Try to get up at least every hour to stretch and move, which serves as a great reminder to refill your water glass each time. Need additional hydration tips? Check these out and give them a try!

Sip before every meal.
Anytime you drain your glass or bottle, fill it back up.
Make a rule that every time you work out, you’ll bring a water bottle and finish the whole thing.
Have a glass of water with every snack and meal.
Keep a bottle of water in your car, at your desk or in your bag.

Listen to your body and gauge your water intake by how you feel, keep your body hydrated to help your body perform better and feel healthier, get into a groove, and create a routine around drinking water. Just keep in mind—every sip counts!