5 Reasons To Stay Hydrated All Year Long

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Most people think about hydration during exercise, travel or when the temperature rises to concerning levels, but water isn’t just for athletes, nomads and outdoor enthusiasts. It’s important for everyone to drink water every day to maintain essential bodily function as well as overall health and wellness. Here’s a list of five reasons to prioritize your water intake all day, every day throughout the year.

1. Maintain a Healthy Heart

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the leading cause of death in both men and women is heart disease. Your risk of heart attack increases significantly when your arteries become narrow and get blocked by plaque and cholesterol. Keeping yourself hydrated helps to keep these arteries clear, and allows your heart to pump blood more easily throughout your body. Drinking more water helps prevent coronary artery disease. If you’re over 50 or overweight, you should consult your physician and ask about a proper hydration and nutrition plan for you.

2. Improve Your Complexion

Believe it or not, there’s a huge difference between dry vs dehydrated skin even though the conditions often look and feel the same. Your skin cells are made up of water, and when they don’t receive enough replenishment, your top layer of skin will appear dry and flaky. Your fine lines and wrinkles will also look more noticeable. For a radiant, healthy glow, you should be focused intently on an internal as well as external hydration regimen. So, the next time you reach for a soda, consider the effect on your skin and grab a bottle of water instead.

Also, be extra attuned to your skin when you travel or spend time in the sun. Dehydration combined with heat and damaging ultraviolet rays can be detrimental to your largest organ.

3. Boost Energy and Lose Weight

Research shows that dieters who increased water intake lost more weight than those who didn’t. Experts believe this may be because people who feel hungry are experiencing thirst. Therefore, by drinking instead of eating, these participants were able to hydrate their bodies, consume fewer calories and feel fulfilled.

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Additionally, when you’re trying to lose weight, you most likely increase your activity levels. After exercise, you must rehydrate to replace the fluids lost during perspiration. In fact, drinking water before, during and after a workout can help boost energy, reduce fatigue and improve performance.

4. Aid Kidney Function and Prevent Illness

Your kidneys are charged with filtering waste from your body, but without proper hydration, they aren’t able to perform this essential function. When your kidneys fail, waste builds up inside your body and your immune system is weakened. This means you have an increased risk of illness including but not limited to kidney stones, urinary tract infections and joint disease when you’re not adequately hydrated. However, when you drink plenty of water, your body is able to function more effectively, allowing you to feel better, move more and function at a higher level.

5. Sharpen Your Mind

Water intake may not be the first thing you think about when you’re struggling to focus on a task, but maybe it should be. Dehydration can negatively impact your brain function, mental faculties and cognitive abilities. Don’t let your performance at your job suffer because your system isn’t up to par. If you feel tired, burned out or have difficulty concentrating, drink a glass of water before you reach for coffee or a donut. Even a small amount of replenishment can help you feel more awake, more focused and more effective at whatever you’re trying to accomplish.

It can be tough to think of your body as a machine that requires constant refueling, but the fact is, you require maintenance. It may seem like an imposition to spend so much of your day seeking your next drink of water, but when you consider the benefits to your health and happiness, then you won’t think twice about filling up that one-liter bottle and carrying it everywhere you go.

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