Most people have heard of the standard guidance of drinking 6 to 8 cups of water every day, but many don’t know the underlying benefits of why you should do that. Obviously, it’s important that the water you do drink is clean and healthy. And if you’re at all worried about the water from your tap, that may be one reason you’re not taking in enough. At Houston Water Solutions, we can certainly help you get the cleanest water through our filtration and softening services. We want you to drink more of it, so you stay healthier. And with that, here are the seven benefits:
Benefit No. 1: It Helps You Lose Weight
With zero calories, water is not only great for replacing sugary drinks, it can also help you lose weight because of how your body responds to it. According to different studies, drinking water has been shown to make people feel more full, and signals to the bran that you don’t need to eat as much. That’s why many doctors recommend having water before each meal as a way to take in less food and help you lose weight.
Water also plays a role in your metabolism and burning fat into energy – a process known as lipolysis. A recent study found that increased water intake also spurs an increase in lipolysis and therefore weight loss, as less fat gets stored and more is turned into energy.
Benefit No. 2: It’s Essential to Removing Waste & Keeping You Cool
Water plays a critical role in two bodily functions – sweating and removing waste. If you aren’t drinking enough water, you are more likely to get constipated and won’t pass waste as frequently as you should. That could lead you to feel bloated and heavier and even weight more when you get on a scale.
Meanwhile, sweat is your body’s way of regulating internal temperature, as your sweat glands release water through the surface of your skin. And while the amount of water you take in has no direct correlation with the amount you sweat, hydrating regularly allows the body to cool down and replenish any water lost during exercise or rigorous activity.
Benefit No. 3: You Get Healthier Skin and Hair
Many people don’t realize that water also boosts skin and hair health, helping to prevent everything from premature wrinkling to dry scalp and dandruff in your hair. For example, drinking more water helps reduce rashes and decreases the likelihood of skin breakouts from acne. That’s because water overall helps in combatting inflammation in the body and plays a role in balancing your overall body temperature. (Often skin breakouts such as acne are most prominent during seasons of high temperatures.)
Meanwhile, if your body is dehydrated, it can also negatively impact your hair, which can become dry and frizzy, resulting in brittle hair. By drinking water, you’ll not only prevent hair damage, but also stimulate hair growth.
Benefit No. 4: It Helps You Maximize Physical Performance
If you attempt any strenuous physical activity such as exercise, getting enough water is critical to sustaining your performance. Dehydration can lead to a number of ill effects such as altered body temperature control, increased fatigue, and even reduced motivation. It can also make any activity feel more challenging, both physically and mentally. Drinking water helps as it can reduce what’s known as oxidative stress that occurs during high-intensity workouts. (After all, muscle is about 80% water.)
Benefit No. 5: It Boosts Your Brain Health
One other area that is affected by your water intake is your brain. Yes, your brain functioning is strongly influenced by your hydration. How so? Studies suggest that even mild dehydration can impair aspects of your brain function, and affect mood and concentration, also resulting in more headaches. Moreover, other researchers have found fluid loss correlating with reduced working memory and increased feelings of anxiety and fatigue.
Benefit No. 6: It Can Flush Toxins from the Body
Many also don’t realize that water is critical to your kidney function, which is one of the organs responsible for flushing toxins from your body. The kidneys, after all, remove waste products from the blood, filter out toxic substances in urine, and process water-soluble toxins from the liver. Hence, daily fluid intake is essential for kidney function.
Benefit No. 7: It Helps Prevent Hangovers
Sometimes we all have a bit too much to drink – and that can lead to a hangover the next day. Alcohol is actually a diuretic, so it makes you lose more water than you take in. And while there are many ways to combat a hangover, one tried and true method is to drink a glass of water between alcoholic drinks – and have at least one big glass of water before going to bed.
Conclusion
About half of all Americans fall far below the generally accepted standard of drinking 8 cups of water per day, significantly impacting their health. Many of you might drink more if you had more trust in the water from your tap. One thing you can do if you’re in the Houston area is to call us for a free water quality analysis. We’ll send a technician to your home, analyze your water for contaminants and hard water deposits, and then recommend a water filtration or softening solution for you. It’s that easy. You’ll drink more and start enjoying more of these key benefits that we’ve described above. What could be better?