Let’s be honest. Water isn’t at the top of most people’s list of favorite drinks. Although consuming this odorless, tasteless, and colorless liquid may not be a priority, it’s essential for maintaining optimal health. Staying properly hydrated is more than just quenching a thirst, it plays a vital role in the function of every body and cellular function. From improved mental clarity to enhancing physical performance, the importance of water cannot be expressed enough. Let’s dig deeper and discover why drinking water should be a daily priority.
Enhanced Physical Performance
Believe it or not, proper hydration has a significant impact on your physical performance. Staying well-hydrated allows your body to maintain its temperature, lubricate joints, and deliver essential nutrients to cells. That’s why it’s important to drink water during physical activity as it reduces the risk of fatigue and cramps, which allows you to have longer and more effective exercise sessions. Of course, drinking water is essential for everyday activities as well to ensure peak performance at all times.
Improved Cognitive Function
Regular water consumption is also essential for cognitive function. This is the mental processes involved in obtaining knowledge, manipulating information, and reasoning. Maintaining a healthy water intake daily can generate improvements in energy, focus, and clarity. Minor dehydration can result in a decreased attention span and memory challenges. Some people also report suffering from headaches and neck pain. Therefore, staying hydrated is essential to ensuring your brain can function properly.
Better Digestion and Weight Control
Did you know that water was also an essential digestion aid? It helps the body break down food and absorb nutrients more efficiently. When you fail to drink enough water, you might have problems such as stomach pains and constipation. If you’re experiencing these symptoms or want to achieve regular and less painful bowel movements, consider increasing your water intake to help move the waste through your digestive system.
For those trying to lose weight or simply maintain their weight, consuming water regularly can help you accomplish your goals. Drinking water before meals helps you feel fuller, therefore, decreasing your calorie intake. Try vamping up your water intake as an effective lifestyle change and watch what a difference it makes.
Lowers Kidney Stone Risks
Kidney stones are solid masses composed of tiny crystals that form in the kidneys when your urine contains too much of certain substances. They vary in size and can cause extreme pain and discomfort. The good news is that increasing your water intake can significantly reduce your chances of developing kidney stones.
Drinking water promotes frequent urination, which flushes the minerals and other substances out of your body before they crystallize. If you’re experiencing mild discomfort in your kidneys, it could be due to dehydration. Regular water consumption is a simple preventative measure that can keep kidney stones at bay and promote overall kidney health.
Supports Heart Health
Last, but not least, drinking enough water provides optimal support to your heart. Adequate water intake helps to thin your blood, which works to reduce the likelihood of clots or strain on the heart. When you’re properly hydrated, you’re ensuring that your heart doesn’t have to work so hard to pump blood throughout your body. This simple act helps to keep your blood pressure at a normal range, while also reducing cardiovascular risk. Believe it or not, drinking water can also reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.
Best Water To Drink
Unfortunately, most tap water contains harmful substances that aren’t ideal for daily consumption. Therefore, it is best to consider other sources to get the best drinking water. As more options are available on the market, determining which types are ideal can be challenging. Some of the most trendy water types are filtered, spring, alkaline, and even distilled water.
Drinking filtered or high-quality spring water daily can suffice. However, if you’d like to try something different, it is important to do your research before deciding which types of water are best for you. Look for answers to questions like, “What is the best brand of spring water”, “What ph level is considered alkaline”, and “Can you drink distilled water?”
Understanding the source, production processes, risks, and benefits of a particular water or brand can help you make a more informed decision.
As you can see, hydration is an essential and fundamental aspect of living an overall healthy life. Water impacts a variety of bodily functions. While you may have neglected your daily water intake in the past, adding this to your list of priorities is ideal. As you begin consuming more water, you’ll notice a difference in your physical performance, mental clarity, digestive health, kidney function, and heart health. Sometimes, when it comes to matters of health, the simplest changes, like drinking more water, can make all the difference in the world.