When Should You Drink Water?
It is good to drink water during the day but knowing at what times your body needs it the most is even better. Having such information in your arsenal and keeping your fluid intake up will not only help you feel perked up, rev up your digestion, achieve a dewy blemish-free skin, but will also come in handy in your battle against excess weight. About 60% of the adult human body consists of water, so keeping it hydrated is one of the basic needs (4). To fully experience all the positive effects of water, an adult person must drink 8-10 times a day (6). Here are some recommendations on when you should drink water:
First Thing In The Morning
Gulping down a glass of water first thing in the morning snaps you out of a drowsy state, rehydrates your body, kick-starts your digestive tract and flushes out harmful toxins. On top of that all, 500 ml of water on an empty stomach increases the metabolic rate by 30%. Such an increase reaches its peak after 30 minutes. Therefore, you should wait 30 minutes and then enjoy your breakfast (7).
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Drink Water Before Meals
If weight loss is top priority on your agenda, slurp down a glass of water before digging into your food, it will not only keep your body hydrated but will also reduce your calorie intake. Research held in the US shows, that people consume fewer calories when they drink water before eating (5). However, remember that between drinking water and having a meal should pass at least 30 minutes (2).
Drink Water Before And After Exercising
Working out requires a greater amount of liquid than any other daily activity. Exercising triggers sweating which in turn may cause dehydration, that is why it is necessary to have at least one bottle of water before getting a head start on exercises and one after wrapping them up.
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When You Are Feeling Tuckered Out Or Under The Weather
When you catch a bug, you should curl up in bed, rest and drink lots of warm fluids. It will help you fight off a cold and stay hydrated (1). The same goes for drowsiness or exhaustion. Weariness is a symptom of water depletion; therefore, drink water and it will keep you from feeling yawny in the middle of the day.
Before Going To Bed Or Taking A Bath
If you are planning to take a bath, have a cup of warm water, it will lower arterial pressure. To stay hydrated while you sleep drink a glass before going to bed. It will reduce the risk of a stroke or a heart attack. They occur mostly in the morning due to one of the symptoms of water deprivation – blood thickening (3).
Conclusion
Hydration is a very important process you shouldn’t neglect. That’s why a healthy person should drink water about 8-10 times throughout the day. Your body should be getting water from the early morning, when you wake up, until the late night when you go to sleep.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Common Cold (2019, mayoclinic.org)
- Drink Water Before Meals to Lose Weight? (2015, webmd.com)
- Surprising heart attack and stroke triggers—from waking up to volcanoes (2007, health.harvard.edu)
- The Water in You: Water and the Human Body (n.d., usgs.gov)
- Water and food consumption patterns of U.S. adults from 1999 to 2001. (2005, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Water: How much should you drink every day? (2017, mayoclinic.org)
- Water-induced thermogenesis. (2003, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)