If you switch out your morning drink for water, you may be able to get some health benefits.
You may have heard about a lot of benefits of drinking water in the morning, but they’re not limited to just your morning routine. Keeping hydrated throughout the day is important to ensure regular bodily function and minimize dehydration. So let’s dive deeper.
Improved sleep quality
Drinking enough water before bed can help you get more restful nights by reducing your risk of waking up thirsty or dehydrated during the night. This may be because fluid intake helps keep the brain cool when sleeping.
Weight loss
When people replace sugary drinks with plain water they tend to eat less at meals. They are also likely to feel fuller longer after eating than if they had drunk sugar-sweetened beverages.
Better skin
The right amount of hydration can improve the appearance of dry skin. Fluid replacement will maintain blood flow throughout the body so that the skin remains well moisturized.
Lowering stress levels
If someone feels stressed out in the mornings, replacing regular soda with water might make them feel calmer. A study published in the journal ‘Nutrition & Diabetes’ found that participants who drank two glasses of water before breakfast felt significantly better about themselves compared to those who didn’t. So let it be your healthy habit.
Improving mood
Feeling tired? Try adding some lemon juice to a glass of warm water instead of coffee or tea. Lemon contains citric acid, which increases energy levels and boosts metabolism. Citrus fruits have been shown to boost alertness as much as caffeine does.
Preventing headaches
Headaches often occur due to dehydration caused by not having enough liquid in one’s system. Replacing caffeinated sodas with a glass of cold water can prevent this from happening.
Reducing bloating
Drinks high in sodium cause excess amounts of salt to build up inside our bodies. This causes us to retain extra water weight around our bellies. By switching to plain water we reduce these chances of gaining too much belly fat.
Strengthening bones
Bone density decreases over time. As such, getting adequate calcium through diet alone isn’t sufficient. Calcium needs to come from foods rich in vitamin D. Milk products contain both of these ingredients. However, milk tends to sit in our digestive tract for long periods of time causing bacteria to grow there. Plain water doesn’t allow any of this to happen.
Boosting immune function
One way to increase immunity is to consume plenty of vegetables and fruit on a daily basis. But another way is to add citrus into your daily routine. Vitamin C is known to strengthen the immune system while lemons and limes contain bioflavonoids that promote cell growth and repair tissue damage.
Increasing mental clarity
Many studies show that consuming plain water promotes brain activity. Since the brain uses 20% of all oxygen consumed during exercise, increasing fluid intake may be helpful in improving cognitive performance.
Enhancing athletic ability
Athletes require a lot of calories to fuel intense workouts. Without proper nutrition, they risk losing muscle mass, strength, and endurance. Consuming plain water allows athletes to improve physical performance and replenish lost electrolytes quickly without needing to ingest additional calories.
Decreasing allergies
According to research conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center, individuals who suffer from hay fever find relief from allergy symptoms by drinking large quantities of water. Their findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
