HOW TO DRINK MORE WATER (AND WHY YOU SHOULD)

“Water is the driving force of all nature” – Leonardo da Vinci

Do you want a really simple way to improve your health and productivity? Here’s a free and easy way to stay healthy and get more done which doesn’t involve apps or planners, gyms or diets.

Drink more water.

They say our bodies are made up of 70% water, so it goes without saying that we need to drink enough water to maintain a healthy balance. Most of us know we should drink more water — but do you remember the reasons why? Here are reminders of some of the many benefits of drinking water and how we can easily create the habit of consuming more water on a daily basis.

Productivity

If the body gets dehydrated this means that each cell gets dehydrated and cannot perform to its optimum levels. Dehydration causes fatigue and lethargy, which will have a direct impact on your energy levels and performance. It isn’t just the cells in the body that are affected by the lack of water…the ones in the brain suffer too. Dehydration can also cause headaches, a common afternoon drawback for office workers. You may chalk up the headache down to stress, but try drinking more water throughout the day and you may be surprised at how many of these headaches it eliminates. You will also notice a lack of mental alertness if you haven’t been sipping at the water fountain throughout the day. Stay hydrated and you will be able to focus more and get more done.

Health

Drinking water benefits our health in many ways. Water helps to flush toxins and waste products from our bodies. It aids our digestion and “keep us regular”. I have heard it said that it can help reduce the risks of heart attacks and cancers. Drinking water prevents dehydration, which can affect the cells negatively in so many ways. You cannot deny that your body feels happier and  healthier each time you consume a glass of water.

Beauty

It’s not just all health and productivity, as if that weren’t enough. You can look better too. Water is proven to help with weight loss. By improving your digestive system, fats will be eliminated from the body more efficiently. It also reduces appetite and eliminates thirst which can sometimes be confused with hunger. Water can also help to hydrate the skin and reduce the signs of aging. No more expensive anti-aging creams; water all the way.

But the problem as we know is not recognizing the benefits, the problem is remembering to drink enough every day. Here are a few tips how to create the habit of drinking water. Note the amount of water that each person should drink daily depends on their physical health, the amount of exercise they do daily, whether they live in a hot or cold climate and other factors (such as pregnancy). Please get advice from a medical professional to find out how much water you should drink daily

1.      Set a goal. Write down your goal to drink X amount of water a day. Write down your reasons why, of course you will want all of the benefits but what is your main motivation? Connecting with your main motivation is a great way keep the enthusiasm when the incentive fades.

2.    Set reminders. Put reminders into your phone or calendar to drink at regular intervals. It is not good for your body to drink large quantities of water at once, small sips regularly is better than infrequent big gulps.

3.    Make it taste nice. Lots of people don’t like the taste (or lack of taste) of water. If this is the case, add some lemon or other citrus fruit to the water to make the taste more pleasant.

4.    Track it. If you should be drinking 8 glasses of water every day, make a chart and tick it off each time you drink a glass. It may sound childish but it works. Do a chart for 30 days and you will have made drinking water a part of your everyday routine.

5.     Bring a bottle. Buy a bottle with a filter and bring it with you, if you have a bottle with you at all times you are more likely to sip from it throughout the day.

Now that you have the motivation all you need is the willpower. Create the habit and reap the rewards of a healthier, better-looking, and more productive you!

BY CIARA  CONLON