Being properly hydrated is an incredibly important (and often overlooked) aspect of maintaining good health. One of the primary reasons that hydration is so important is because your body is roughly 70% water. In addition, many of the processes that our body relies on to function require a state of proper hydration. It is estimated that around 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. If getting enough water is something that you struggle with, today you’re going to learn about why it is so important, as well as a few ways you can improve your hydration.

1. The first, and maybe most important way that water impacts your health is through improved brain performance. Proper hydration can have a positive effect on cognition, emotional stability, & even anxiety. It estimated that as little as 2% fluid loss can adversely affect one’s mood/memory.
2. Water is essential for normal/regular digestive habits, and not getting enough water could lead to gas, irregularity, bloating, and other digestive-related discomfort.
3. Getting enough water can help ensure that you have enough energy to get through your day. Dehydration can lead to reduced blood circulation & force your heart to work harder to push oxygen throughout your body. This extra work load will require a lot more energy and deplete your body’s stores more quickly.
4. Being properly hydrated can support your weight loss efforts as well as proper weight management. Drinking water provides a sense of fullness & will help you feel satiated between meals. This will cut down on unhealthy snacking. Research is showing that a glass or two of water before meals helps curb over-eating, leading to reductions in bodyweight, BMI, & improved body composition.
5. Maintaining proper hydration can lead to decreased joint pain. The cartilage that acts as a cushion between your joints is composed of roughly 80% water, so it would make sense that if we’re not getting enough water, it will have an adverse effect on the fibrocartilage and contribute to joint pain.
6. Drinking enough water can aid your body’s ability to regulate its temperature. When you’re dehydrated, your body is unable to produce sweat and thus stores more heat. By staying well-hydrated, your body is more easily able to regulate its core temperature.
7. If you’ve ever had a kidney stone before, you know how painful they can be. Staying properly hydrated helps dilute the mineral concentration in your urinary tract, decreasing the likelihood of stone formation.
8. Your blood is made up primarily of water, so when you’re dehydrated, it becomes more concentrated, disrupting the ratios of minerals (potassium & sodium) that are essential to proper heart function.
9. Water helps aid your body’s natural detoxification mechanisms – urination, perspiration, bowel movements, & breathing.
10. Making sure that you get enough water could lead to fewer headaches. Even mild fluid loss can be a contribution factor for those who suffer from regular headaches.

Now that we’ve gone over the myriad of ways that water impacts our health and well-being, let’s talk about some of the things we can do to help increase our fluid intake. A lot of health experts recommend drinking water first thing in the morning when you wake up to help your body recover from its nightly dehydration. Not only does it give you a chance to rehydrate, but it is also thought that a glass of water upon waking up will help kick-start your metabolism for the day. One of the most sure-fire ways to ensure that you get enough water is to keep it accessible – wherever you go, keep a reusable water bottle close at hand. This will make it easier for you to sip on throughout the day and hit your daily water goal. Another way to ensure you’re getting enough water is to set reminders throughout the day. Things can get busy and it’s really easy to forget to take a drink every once and while. There’s no harm in setting an alarm on your phone to help you meet your goal. This next one may sound a bit silly, but a great way to ensure you’re hydrating enough is to “eat your water”. Yes, you read that right. Consuming foods with higher water content will support hydration. Take a peak at the chart below – you may be surprised to see the water content of some of your favorite foods!

One of the biggest complaints from people who don’t drink enough water is that they “don’t like the taste”. Flavoring your water can make drinking it more enjoyable, and the many zero calorie sparkling water brands (LaCroix is my personal favorite) serve as great options. One important thing to note is to that you need to make sure they don’t have any artificial sweeteners in them. You can choose to naturally flavor your water by infusing it with fresh fruits/veggies. Watermelon, cucumber, lemon, & strawberries are a few popular options. Sports drinks are a very popular alternative to water that many people turn to for hydration, but the problem with these is that many are very high in sugar. For example, a standard bottle of Gatorade contains around 14 g of sugar. First off, that’s a lot of added sugar, but secondly, too much sugar in a sports drink can actually contribute to water LOSS.

I think it’s safe to say that we all understand how important it is to drink enough water on a daily basis, but how much do you actually need to drink in a day? Everyone is different, and therefore the amount of water that one person needs will differ from the next. If you are like me, you probably grew up hearing that you needed “eight 8 oz. glasses of water per day”. While that may be good for some people, it’s likely not enough for many others. A good rule of thumb that I try to follow is to drink roughly half of my bodyweight in fluid ounces. And remember, drink a glass of water upon waking up to rehydrate and then spread the rest out over the course of your day.

Dr. Wade Bemis

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