Drink up: the benefits of water hydration and how it can help your skin

We’re sure you’ve heard it before. Drinking eight to 10 glasses of water comes with tons of health benefits. Here we will get to know the many benefits of water hydration, what it can do to your skin, and tips on how to increase your water intake.

First, know how much water you should drink

A lot has been said about drinking eight glasses of water everyday. Apparently, every person is different, including the number of glasses you should take per day. So, how much water should you drink in a day? The truth is it depends on various factors such as age, weather, physical activity level, and gender. Nonetheless, women are recommended to drink at least 2.21 litres of water everyday while men are advised to drink at least three litres. Apart from water, you can also get your liquid fix from tea, clear soups, milk, or fresh fruit juices or smoothies. There are also water-enriched foods you can eat such as watermelon to increase your fluid intake. It is best to drink water at least if not more than the recommended number of litres per day to avoid dehydration. This way, you will be able to enjoy the benefits it could bring to your overall health, which you will learn more about in the succeeding sections.

Reasons why your body needs water

Did you know that water makes up 60 percent of your body weight? Still, this doesn’t mean you should not drink water just because it is part of your body’s natural component. Believe it or not, your body needs an ample amount of water supply because it plays a vital role in almost every function of your body. At the same time, your body loses water, depending on your daily activities, which is why it is important to replenish your body with the lost fluids. Without water, you will feel tired, dehydrated, and may not perform at your best. That’s not all. Water is among the healthiest substances you can feed your body and your ultimate partner to fight various medical conditions, including skin issues, without being too heavy on the budget. Now that you know the basics of water hydration, the following sections will discuss in detail the benefits your body can enjoy when you drink at least eight glasses of water per day.

Say hello to the many health benefits of drinking water

By now, you have an idea on how important water is in your daily routine. In fact, your body cannot function without it. The next question is this: how exactly does water help you in boosting your overall health? Here are some of the many health benefits you can get from drinking water – all proven by scientific studies and experiments:
  1. Minimises headaches – Did you know that water deprivation is a common cause of headaches? In fact, it can trigger migraines too. Drink water as much as you can to prevent headaches from paying a visit.
  2. Boosts mood – According to a study, participants who increased their water intake to 2.5 litres everyday experienced less fatigue, confusion, sleepiness, and bewilderment. This puts you in a better mood as well.
  3. Reduces fluid retention – Keep in mind that dehydration is a threat to survival. By drinking water, you are able to prevent retention of fluid in your body and minimise the possibility of using diuretics to prevent bloating, which can also cause a threat in your body.
  4. Weight loss – In case you are looking for an easy way to lose weight, drinking water could help you with that. By drinking a glass of water before every meal, it will make you feel fuller, suppresses your appetite, reduces your food intake, and aids you in weight loss goals.
  5. Better digestive system – Drinking water keeps both your digestive system and urinary tract healthy. It turns out that water helps metabolise food, transport nutrients properly, and facilitates in excreting waste products. This reduces constipation as well.
  6. Improves physical performance – Many scientific literatures are dedicated to the connection between physical performance and water hydration. This is because when you exercise, your body uses more water and keeping yourself hydrated can help you get back on the exercise track. Water also improves your endurance, reduces fatigue, and makes you less sore after a workout.
  7. Boosts cognitive performance – Whether young or old, lack of hydration could affect your cognitive function which includes short-term memory, alertness, and concentration. Every time you drink water, you can reduce dehydration-induced cognitive deficits. In case you need a brainpower boost, always have a glass of water beside you.
If there is one part of your body that will truly be happy when you drink up, that is your skin. In fact, your skin is among the biggest beneficiaries of water hydration, although not all people believe in that. The following section will better explain the relationship between water hydration and your skin.

Establishing a good relationship between water and your skin

You’ve probably heard countless times about the connection between water intake and its effects on your skin. In fact, many people will tell you that hydration could improve your skin or complexion. At the same time, the more water you drink, the better the results will be. This may lead to a moisturised look or could help minimise acne and other skin conditions. Here’s the truth: not everything you read about water and the skin connection are true. Understanding your skin’s composition Your skin is made up of cells, which are also made up of water. It has three layers:
  • Epidermis, or the outer layer of your skin.
  • Dermis, which is the underlying skin.
  • Subcutaneous tissue
Your skin is approximately 30 percent water, thereby making it elastic, plump, and resilient. In fact, if the outermost layer of epidermis doesn’t have enough water, it could make your skin rough and encourage the loss of elasticity. Consequently, the overlapping cellular structure of your skin’s stratum corneum and lipid content serves as a waterproof for your body. What happens when you sweat? Doesn’t that signify loss of water, thereby making your skin dry? Not necessarily. Sweat is carried out by your eccrine sweat glands and distributes it evenly over your body. Still, this doesn’t mean it could make your skin dry. Skin dryness is due to prolonged contact with hot water, scrubbing, exposure to dry air, existence of medical conditions, or intake of medications. Getting to know the skin and water connection There is no doubt that proper hydration has an effect on your overall health, including your skin. Surprisingly, there is a lack of research that shows drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday could impact your skin’s appearance or hydration levels. Consequently, drinking large amounts of water does not automatically replace the water lost on your skin. The reason is simple: when you drink water, it will pass through and replenish your organs first before it reaches your skin. If you want your skin to be the first recipient of water, then the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health suggested that you apply water on your skin directly and leave it there. On the other hand, the case is different if you initially have low water intake. Water hydration can improve your skin’s density and thickness, offsets any transepidermal water loss, and improves your skin’s hydration. Does this mean water hydration won’t help in keeping your skin plump and healthy? Of course not. Drinking water is still essential and can still help in keeping your skin moisturised. Other ways to keep your skin hydrated Here’s what you can do to maintain your skin’s plumpness and elasticity in case water has decided to pay attention to your other organs:
  • Always use a gentle cleanser when cleansing your skin. Soap may irritate and strip off your skin’s natural moisture, thereby making your skin dry.
  • Consider a skin hydration spray such as Hydrate from griffin+row. Following the University of Wisconsin Madison’s recommendations (10), spraying a product directly on your skin could improve hydration.
  • Moisturise your skin within two minutes after stepping out of the shower. Your skin is still porous and vulnerable to products, thereby making it easier to absorb any hydrating products.
  • Choose your moisturiser carefully and according to your skin type. It is best to go for moisturisers that contain natural products for better results.
  • Continue drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. You may not see the results overnight, but this is still the easiest way to encourage water hydration.
  • Protect your skin against extreme weather. Whether it’s winter or summer, wearing protective clothing according to the weather is a must before stepping out of the house.
  • Avoid prolonged contact with chlorinated or hot water.
Are you ready to drink more H20? Make sure you read the next section to help you increase your intake.

Tips to help you drink more H2O

At this point, you already know why your body needs water and the many benefits it brings to your overall health. The challenge now is how to ensure that you are getting enough hydration. Don’t worry. Below are some easy tips and adjustments you can make to ensure that you drink up as much as you can:
  • Don’t fight the urge to drink. One of the easiest ways to determine if you are not getting enough water is when you start feeling thirsty. Don’t fight it every time you feel it. Your body has a special mechanism that could signal and tell you that it needs water. Drink up every time you feel thirsty.
  • Track your water intake. It doesn’t matter if you print a chart from Pinterest or make your own. Tracking the number of glasses you’ve had in a day allows you to see how much you are getting and whether you are getting enough. Be honest when you track your glasses.
  • Look into other fluid alternatives. Drinking water is the easiest way to maintain the right amount of fluids in your body. Apart from water, you can also have tea, fresh fruit juices, and smoothies. Adding lemon in your water can inject zest in your drink to encourage you to drink more.
  • Drink a glass of water 30 minutes before meals. In doing so, you will be able to reduce your food intake too, since you will feel fuller.
  • Set your reminder. You have to be creative on this one. You can set your alarm reminding you to drink water every two hours, make a sign on your window, or write “drink up” on a piece of paper and use it as a wallpaper. Do something that works for you as long as you will be reminded to drink up.
  • Make this a before-bedtime habit. If you don’t feel the urge to go to the bathroom late at night, it’s either you are a deep sleeper or you are not getting enough water at night. Drink a glass before hitting the sack, or at least have a pitcher of water beside you in case you need to drink.
  • Don’t forget your water bottle. One of the reasons for lack of hydration is that water is not accessible. Avoid making excuses and fill a water jug before you leave home. Place it inside your bag so you can have access to water every time you feel thirsty.

The bottom line

The benefits of water could come across in various fields – from boosting your health to improving your skin. The bottom line is make it a habit to drink fluids as much as you can since the benefits of keeping yourself hydrated is immeasurable. Drink up. That’s a challenge to yourself that you need to accomplish