Are You Drinking Enough Water?
Water – One of the four basic elements of nature, the key to life on Earth and the wet stuff that comes from the sky.
We all know the importance of drinking water and staying hydrated throughout the day, but have you really thought about the benefits we gain from this H20 goodness? As you can appreciate, it can be tricky to regulate your water intake during a busy day, especially in this fast-paced world we live in!
Have no fear though, in this blog we’ll be showing you ways to keep your hydration game tip-top throughout the day and the benefits of this, all whilst debunking some surprising (yet common) myths surrounding hydration.
Science Doesn’t Lie
If fitness is your thing and you’re looking to lose a couple of kilos, aside from the nutrition and exercise, believe it or not, drinking water is a key contributor to weight loss! In fact, staying hydrated increases the rate at which you burn calories, known as ‘resting energy expenditure’. Not to mention it’s been scientifically proven to boost physical performance!
Studies have also shown that water contains natural calming properties, which is due to your body addressing dehydration's effects, helping you to keep your cool and proven to reduce anxiety levels. Whilst on the subject of the brain, water also has positive effects on your cognitive ability and attention span. This is because 75% of our brain is made up of water (who knew?) and thus it requires a constant supply of water.
One of the last aspects you’ve probably not thought about is your skin. Nowadays it’s not unheard of to have a daily skin regime, but did you ever think water had such a large impact on your skincare? This is because keeping your body hydrated helps maintain your skin's elasticity meaning fewer scars, wrinkles, and soft lines!
Hydration Myths
There’s always a flurry of wishy-washy news online that puts our head in a spin. Below are some of the most common myths surrounding hydration that we’re here to debunk.*
- “You need to drink 8 glasses of water a day” – This can always be a highly debated conversation; however, the fact of the matter is that your body has its own way to tell you when you are dehydrated… it’s called thirst! So essentially, drink whenever you feel the need to have a glass of water.
- “Sports drinks hydrate you more” – Despite what the adverts want you to believe, it has never been proven that sports drinks hydrate the body better than good ol’ water. The best part about this, water is way cheaper than your typical sports drink (cha-ching)!
- “Clear urine means you’re hydrated” – Although there is an ounce of truth to this one, this is not a deciding factor as to whether you are intaking either too much or not enough water. The best indicator to determine your hydration levels is the volume rather than the colour.
*Sources: University of Florida & The Healthy
Aqua’s Advice – Tips & Tricks
With all that sciencey stuff and fake news out the way, how can you regulate your water intake on a daily basis?
- Track with an app – Like most things now, there’s an app for it. There’s a range of apps you can download that’ll remind you and monitor your hydration levels if you’re struggling to keep on top of it.
- Add citrus – Add a zing to your water by eliminating that bland taste that’ll help add more nutrients to your diet and encourage you to drink more.
- Drink before mealtimes – As well as a great prompt to get some water down your neck, drinking before mealtimes helps you slow down and therefore it positively impacts how well food is digested.
- Carry a bottle – Unless you’re drinking water out of your hands all day, make sure you have a bottle with you. Even better than that, use a reusable metal bottle to limit your plastic use as much as possible!
Whilst we’re on the subject, why not check out the array of reusable metal bottles we have on offer. All our bottles use modern insulation technology and come with a free carabiner with 10% of profits going to charity (hooray!). – Check out our range of bottles here