Sometimes, improving your health and wellness starts with the simplest things. Amidst all the workout routines and dietary trends, there’s one fundamental yet often underestimated aspect: hydration. Making sure you start your day with the right amount of water and continuing with that throughout the day is one of the easiest ways to improve your mental and physical health. In this article, we’ll shed some light on how much water you should drink throughout the day and how it will benefit you. Let’s dive in!
The Morning Ritual
For a lot of us, our morning routine often involves reaching for our phones or a cup of coffee before anything else. However, one of the best ways to start your day is by rehydrating your body. BVOS recommends drinking at least 1 liter of water upon waking up. This may sound like a lot, but considering that your body has been without water for several hours during sleep, it makes perfect sense. This simple practice not only helps you rehydrate but also jumpstarts your metabolism, setting a positive tone for the rest of your day.
Benefits of Drinking Water
Now, let’s take a look at the incredible benefits that drinking water can provide.
Kickstart Your Metabolism
Drinking water first thing in the morning is proven to help kickstart your metabolism. Studies have found that drinking water increases your metabolic rate, which in turn, increases the amount of calories your body burns throughout the day. Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that drinking 16 ounces of water increased metabolic rate by nearly 30%.
Energy Levels
A few telltale signs of dehydration are feeling sluggish and fatigued. This can make it difficult to get up and moving, let alone get a workout in. Research has found that even the slightest degree of dehydration can lead to a decline in athletic endurance, increased perception of effort, and reduced overall performance among athletes.
Cognitive Boost
It’s not just your physical health that benefits from staying hydrated. Your mental health gets a significant boost, too. Studies have shown that dehydration can impair cognitive function, affecting your ability to think clearly and stay focused. In a carefully controlled trial involving young adults, it was observed that rehydration through water consumption following a 12-hour period of water restriction resulted in increased alertness, improvements in working memory, and feelings of calm.
Digestive Health
One of the most important aspects of drinking water is its role in maintaining a healthy digestive system. Water is the key to ensuring that nutrients are efficiently transported to cells and toxins are flushed away. It also keeps things moving throughout the digestive tract, preventing constipation and promoting regularity.
Consistency is Key
While that morning liter of water is an excellent start, it’s important to remember that our bodies require ongoing hydration. Aim to include a total of 96 ounces (equivalent to about eight 12-ounce glasses) of water throughout the day to keep your body operating at its best.
If you are someone who struggles to drink enough water because you simply don’t like the taste, try adding slices of fresh fruit, or herbs like basil and mint to your water.
