You may be surprised by how much better you will feel by drinking enough water. Usually, you will experience greater energy, less stress, and even less physical pain.
More Energy
Always tired? It may have something to do with the caffeinated, sugary drinks we tend to live on. Though soda, coffee and "energy drinks" are water-based, the sugar and caffeine they contain are diuretics, which can steal as much water from the body as the drink supplies.
When we put aside coffee and soda and reach for a glass of water, the liquid that the coffee and soda zap from us stays inside our bodies. When cells have the nourishment they need, they work properly, and fatigue dissipates.
Better Mental Stability
Brain cells are 85% water. The mind, including the part that controls emotions, cannot operate properly without enough water.
Next time your mood takes a dive, have a drink – of water. In a recent Tufts University study, college athletes who weren’t given fluids during practice felt more confused, angry, tense, and blue afterward than those who had plenty of water. “The level of dehydration was very mild – it could easily be compared with what busy office workers might experience if they forgot to drink enough during the day,” says lead researcher Kristen E. D’Anci, PhD.
Less Pain
When we experience physical pain, such as headaches, back aches, and joint pain, our first reaction is to medicate the pain away. A less expensive alternative might be to pick up a bottle of water. Adequate hydration can actually ease pain (though any doctor's orders about pain management should be followed).
Water relieves pain because muscles and joints need water to remain supple and well-lubricated. Well-hydrated muscles do not cramp easily, and well-hydrated joints do not allow bones to rub together. By drinking adequate water, individuals can assure that their bodies will not need to pull moisture away from the muscles and bones in order to sustain vital organs.
How much you need to drink depends on the weather and your activity level and weight. For most of us, that should start with 8 cups (about 2 liters) of water a day. So, drink up!
Recent Comments