Why is water so good for you? We're always being told to drink more water but a lot us struggle to get through a set amount every day. Almost two thirds of our body is made up of water, so it's no wonder that when we don't drink enough we start to suffer.
Government guidelines reckon we should try and drink at least eight glasses a day and some nutritionists claim that a staggering 80% of us are walking around dehydrated! This lack of fluid could affect your health, your weight and even your job so find out what the nine main benefits of water really are.
1. Water helps with weight loss
Great news for anyone trying to lose a few pounds - water naturally reduces your appetite.
A lot of people confuse feeling thirsty with feeling hungry so they eat when their body wants them to drink something. When you're dehydrated, fat cells become harder to break down and so anyone actually trying to diet will find it a lot harder if they don't drink very much.
2. Water stops headaches and dizziness
Don't reach for the pills straight away, your headache could be a symptom of being dehydrated so drinking water should make it go away.
Even tension headaches and dizziness, which can be brought on by fatigue can be cured or helped by drinking water - this is because fatigue is also a sign of dehydration.
3. Water clears your skin
Most people know that drinking more water can be good for clear skin and it can also help the symptoms of acne.
If you've got dry skin, drinking water will give it more moisture but that's not all. Water flushes toxins out of your body and anything else that shouldn't be there so it clears your skin of any dirt and bacteria.
4. It fights infections
Drinking water can help fight infections all over your body, not only because it flushes out toxins but because when you're dehydrated you're more likely to catch a bug.
It's especially good for getting rid of and preventing urine infections and kidney stones.
Being well hydrated is also great for allergies and colds because it clears the airways. Even cold sores can be reduced by drinking more water because they tend to pop up in places where your skin is particularly dry.
5. It keeps you regular
If you suffer from constipation or piles you might have been told to increase how much fibre you eat. This is definitely one way of getting rid of the problem but you'll need to drink more water for the fibre to work properly. Otherwise it could have the opposite effect and make you worse.
6. It makes you exercise better
It's common sense to replace the fluids you lose when you sweat with water, but what might not be obvious is that your body works better and harder during your workout if you drink water.
7. It improves concentration
Because your brain is made of around 85% water if you get dehydrated it can affect your concentration and even your short-term memory.
It has a particularly strong effect on your maths skills and it's all because lack of water causes your brain's energy levels to decrease.
8. It boosts your energy
In the same way that not drinking enough water makes your brain slow down it has the same effect on your body.
For example, your muscles are around 75% water, your bones are about 22% and your blood is around 83%.
If you're dehydrated, all these body parts don't work as well as they should meaning you lack energy and feel tired or lazy.
9. It supports your heart
The hardest working muscle of all needs a lot of water to keep it going at full speed.
When you get dehydrated your blood gets thicker so the heart has to work even harder. And if your heart is weak it can lead to more serious heart problems later in life.
Although government guidelines say that we should all drink 8 glasses of water a day, your height, weight and the size of the glass can all make a difference.
Most people wee, on average, 1.5 litres a day and you will also lose a litre of liquid through breathing and sweating.
You get about 20% of your water every day through food so a general rule is to drink 2 litres of water a day. This is the equivalent to a large bottle of fizzy drink or three-and-a-half pints.
If you're feeling thirsty you're already dehydrated so don't wait until you need a drink, sip small amounts throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated.
Factors such as exercise, the weather, illness and if you're pregnant or breastfeeding will all make a difference to how much you need too. So you'll need to up your water intake again. The best way is to listen to your body.
You can get a certain amount of water from tea, coffee and fizzy drinks but they're all what's called diuretics - in other words they make you wee a lot more as well as increase the amount of water your body uses. They also don't quench your thirst like water does.
That doesn't mean you can't drink them, tea has other health benefits, but it just means that you'll have to drink more water as well.
If you're worried you're not drinking enough:
- Measure how much you're drinking for a few days to see if it's anywhere near the minimum amount
- Check your wee. If it's pale and clear then you're drinking a healthy amount. If it's dark yellow and cloudy you might be dehydrated or not drinking enough.
