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I have a scientific background with a specific interest in water and hydration. Full Bio

You may already be aware that you should drink plenty of water each day but do you know why? Yes, it’s true that you cannot stay alive for very long without drinking water. But keeping well hydrated is also essential for general day-to-day health and well-being.

This article will give you scientific and academically based benefits of water. By the end of this article, you will learn great reasons to stay hydrated.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The nutritional value of water

In terms of nutrition, plain water contains zero calories. This alone is a great reason to consume more of it.

Unlike almost every other consumable, water is not a source of carbohydrates, protein or fat.¹ Its only function is to hydrate you and you can drink plenty of it without worrying about any weight gain.

5 scientific benefits of water

Water has so many benefits for your health that it would be impossible to list all of them in this article. However, here are 5 solid scientifically and academically backed benefits that water has for your health and why you should always stay properly hydrated.

1. Drinking water keeps you at peak performance

Your physical performance can suffer if you don’t drink enough water. In fact, your physical performance can be severely impacted if you lose as little as 2% of water in your body. The result of this can be things like fatigue, loss of body temperature control, less motivation and performing exercise will feel a lot more difficult from a mental and physical perspective.

On the other hand, studies show that a good level of hydration not only prevents the above from happening, it may even reduce oxidative stress that comes with high intensity activities. This makes sense when you think about the fact that water makes up 80% of muscles.² So stay well hydrated to remain at peak physical condition.

2. Water is good for brain function

Your level of hydration has a big impact on your brain function. Studies show that even a modest level of dehydration of 1-2% (of reduced water in the body) can impair many brain functions.³This was highlighted in a study conducted with young women at the University of Connecticut. The research shows that women who had a fluid loss of 1.36% after exercise suffered from impaired concentration, poor mood and had many more headaches.⁴

A similar study involving young men also shows that a fluid loss of 1.59% increases feelings of fatigue, anxiety and reduces working memory.

3. Drinking water may help to prevent and treat headaches

This follows on from the previous point that shows how important water is to brain function. Dehydration is usually the root cause of migraines in many people. However, new studies show that drinking water can be an effective way of treating and even preventing headaches from happening in the first place.⁵

4. Water delivers nutrients to your body

Although pure water does not contain any nutrients itself, it can absorb some minerals and deliver it to your body.⁶ For instance, bottled mineral water can sometimes contain healthy minerals that your body needs like sodium, magnesium and calcium.

Just make sure you read the label to learn the exact mineral content of your bottled mineral water.

5. Water helps your body regulate temperature

Water is excellent at absorbing and transferring heat in your body. In fact, it is the primary way that the human body is able to regulate its temperature.

Water has a relatively high heat capacity and it means the water in every cell of your body can work as a shield against sudden temperature changes.⁷This is also the reason why professionals always recommend you drink plenty of water in hot climates or environments.

How much water to drink in a day?

Now that you understand why you should drink more water, the next question is how much? The Internet is full of bogus responses to this and the most common response is the un-scientific 8 cups a day rule.

However, most scientists and health professionals agree that it’s much better to drink according to your gender, weight, level of physical activity and climate. Read this article to know how much water you should be drinking each day: How Much Water Should You Drink Each Day (and How Much Is Too Much for You)

How to drink more water?

After working out how much water you should drink in a day, you might discover that you’re not drinking enough. If this is the case you will need to find new ways to drink more water each day. For instance, you can eat water-rich fruits like watermelons and make new hydration habits like drinking a cup of water before each meal.

If you need help to get you to drink more water, check out these articles:

You can even eat your water from these fruits:⁸

Conclusion

Water is essential to a properly functioning body. You should proactively try to keep yourself well hydrated.

Hydration is not the only benefit you will experience from maintaining a good level of daily water intake. Water can help you stay at a peak physical condition, maintain brain function, prevent headaches and regulate your body temperature.

Make sure you drink enough water each day to enjoy all the amazing health benefits that water has to offer.