Why you should drink more water

We all know that we should drink more water for our health, but do we know why?

Water plays a vital part in so many of our body’s functions and processes, and without it they can’t work at their optimal performance. Many other factors involved too, but water plays a key part. If your body is dehydrated over time, you will start to notice problems arising in your bodily functions and you might even develop pain. 

Water also plays a huge role in maintaining your spinal health. We have written a blog on this here for those interested.

Here are three reasons why you should drink more water:

 

Removing waste and toxins, and delivering nutrients

Your kidneys use water to get rid of certain toxins and waste from the body. If you don’t drink enough water, your kidneys don’t have the amount of fluid they need to do their job properly. Your body will be holding onto the toxins instead of getting rid of them. A buildup of toxins is never good. 

Not only this, water helps to transport nutrients around the body. For example, the spinal discs don’t have a direct blood supply to receive their nutrients, so they rely on water to provide them with the nutrients they require to stay healthy. 

The water we drink is absorbed through the intestines and circulated throughout the body in your blood. Your blood is more than 90% water, and your blood carries oxygen to the different parts of your body. 

Have you ever had a blood test in the morning when you are dehydrated after sleeping? They struggle to get enough blood for the test. This is because the water content of your blood has decreased. 

Drinking enough water makes sure that the properties of your bodily fluids, like blood, are maintained in the internal environment of your body. 

 

Maintaining body temperature

Staying hydrated is so important to maintain your body temperature. 

When your body temperature rises, you lose water through sweating. This could be when you’re in an environment that is hot, or when you’re being physically active. The sweat evaporates from your skin which cools the body, keeping its temperature within a healthy range.

Your sweat helps to keep your body cool, but, if you don’t replenish the water that you have lost, your body temperature will start to rise again. If you’re sweating more than usual, you need to make sure that you are drinking more water than you usually would to stay hydrated.

 

Impacts brain function

Water helps your brain to function optimally. It makes up 75% of the brain, so when you’re dehydrated it can cause things like feeling a little foggy, a reduced attention span and memory. As hydration dips, some brain functions begin to suffer.

Water plays an important part in transporting oxygen and nutrients to the brain for optimal function. Toxins are removed from the brain as you sleep, as well as healing itself and generating new neurons.

It also is essential in balancing your hormone levels as it plays a role in producing neurotransmitters and hormones and reducing the levels of stress hormones.

When you’re hydrated, your mood will lift, you will think and focus better, and you will sleep better.

You should be drinking 1 litre of water per 35kg you weigh everyday. This might seem like a lot, and if you’re not someone who particularly likes drinking water, this can be difficult. For our tips and tricks on how to drink more water click here.