As the year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to start making resolutions! There’s never a bad time to start implementing healthy habits into your everyday life, but if you’re itching for a fresh start, we have the perfect solution for you: Just drink water! Regulating the amount you drink can end up making you feel miles better and keep your body running in tip-top shape.
There’s a reason why experts suggest drinking five to eight glasses of water a day. That’s because 60% of your body and 92% of your blood is made up of it! Water keeps organs like your kidneys, lungs, and intestines functioning properly. But one of the organs it helps out the most is your brain! Drinking the daily recommended amount of water can reduce fatigue, headaches, and keep your mind sharp throughout the years.
Not to mention that during these cold winter months, your body could really use an immunity boost. Water can help with that too! Making sure you’re properly hydrated keeps your body in balance and helps with keeping important functions under control. These include regulating your body temperature, lubricating joints, oxygenating your blood, and aids in the production of “lymph” which helps your fighter white blood cells travel through the body.
Now that you know the “why,” let’s get into the “how” with our top 4 hydration tips!
1. Start your day with a glass.
Although we need sleep, six to eight hours without drinking water is a really long time! One of the best things you can do first thing in the morning is have a tall glass (or two) of water. It has many benefits besides instantly rehydrating you before you conquer your day, like cleansing your bowels, improving your mental performance, and making your skin look dewy and fresh.
2. Stop by the fruit and veggies stand!
There’s plenty more than one reason to eat fruits and vegetables in your everyday diet, but when it comes to staying hydrated, they really help with that too. So many of the fruits you already love like watermelon, strawberries, and oranges are over 85% water. And there are even veggies like celery, lettuce, and cucumber that are over 95% water! Even certain dairy products like milk and yogurt can keep you hydrated as well, so that’s just another reason to make sure you’re getting all of your food groups in daily.
3. Take it easy on the coffee.
Before you assume this one is too much to give up, take a moment to consider how caffeine intake can affect hydration. Cutting back slowly and drinking lots and lots of water can help alleviate some of the nasty symptoms that come with caffeine withdrawal such as irritability, elevated heart rate, and anxiety. Like we said before, drinking water first thing in the morning has its own benefits as well!
4. Keep track of your habits.
Still not sure you can stay on track with all of these tips? Try keeping a hydration log! This can be a chart either in your agenda, journal, phone, or even tacked up on the wall to remind you to hit your water target every single day. There are also plenty of great apps like Plant Nanny and Waterllama that help you track your water intake in fun and unique ways.
Drinking water is a necessary part of everyone’s daily routine. Bringing these tips into the new year is sure to make a huge difference in your life, not only in your body, but in your mind as well. We wish everyone a very safe and healthy new year, and we hope to see you staying hydrated in 2022!
