Why You MUST Drink Water Right After You Wake Up

image © Giuseppe Porzani – fotolia.com

Water is an integral component of the human body. We are literally more water than anything else. Because water is easily lost through daily activities and illness, we must be vigilant in replacing the losses. ^[1]

On this page we have listed four important reasons to stay hydrated throughout the day, reasons why drinking water as soon as you wake up is important and further genius tips to help you stay more hydrated throughout the day.

Four Great Reasons To Stay Hydrated

#1: Lower risk for kidney disease Kidney problems are associated with high salt intake and resulting hypertension, which damages the kidney’s blood vessels. According to an observational study on water intake, how much water a person drinks in a day is also directly related to the developed of CKD – or chronic kidney disease. The higher the fluid intake, the lower risk for CKD. This implies that increasing your water intake will help prevent renal problems. ^[2]

#2: Water intake can actually help you lose or maintain a healthy weight. Water helps regulate the body’s normal process, like metabolism. Poor water intake is usually associated with a decline in physical activities, which can cause weight gain. By drinking a lot of water, you can maintain the balance between the calories your body uses and stores, as well as the oxidation of stored fat – both of which contribute to weight loss. ^[3] Choosing food with a higher water content can also cut down on your calorie intake because these kinds of food are more filling and take a longer time to be digested by the body, thereby decreasing your appetite. ^[4]

#3: Water improves your skin condition. When a person is dehydrated, their skin feels rough and dry, with poor elasticity – meaning it doesn’t bounce back when pinched or stretched. When the skin has poor skin turgor, it is more prone to damage and takes a longer time to heal. When skin has good turgor, it has better elasticity and looks a lot healthier. ^[5]

#4: Water helps keep bowel movement regular. There are three factors to consider when promoting regular bowel movement – fiber intake, physical activity, and water intake. These three things work together to ensure that we get all the nutrients we need from the food we eat and that the waste product is expelled completely from the body. Without enough water in our diet, the fiber can’t do its job properly in cleansing the body, leaving the stool hard and difficult to pass. ^[6]

Why Drinking Water Right After Waking Up Is Important

When you wake up, you are usually very dehydrated and quite possibly at your “peak dehydration” in any 24-hour cycle. Depending on how long you sleep, your body hasn’t had any water intake at all for several hours. Also its regulatory processes have slowed, meaning your body and energy levels are very low. Place a glass or bottle of water on the bedside table / nightstand before bed. That way, when you are in that “awake but still not energized enough to get up” state, you will be able to reach out and grab some water earlier than you would do if you had to get up to do so.

Interestingly, drinking water when you wake up “wakes up” your body too. Drinking it an hour or more before breakfast also curbs your appetite, which can help with weight loss. As your body gets used to drinking at least one large glass of water at the start of the day, it’ll help manage your appetite in the long run.

Four Awesome Water Drinking Tips

1) Skip the canned drinks. Although they contain water, avoid drinking soft drinks and fruit juices made with high fructose corn syrup, sugar or artificial sweeteners. One of the biggest factors that contribute to low water intake is drinking a lot of unhealthy drinks like soda. A person is actually less inclined to drink water the more he or she includes other kinds of drinks in his or her diet. ^[7]

2) Have water to hand when working or at home. If you work at a desk, having a pitcher of water on the desk, perhaps with a few slices of lemon or cucumber added, will almost certainly ensure that you drink far more water than you would if you had to get up and go to the kitchen to get some, disrupting your work flow.

3) Take a water bottle out with you. Similarly, when out and about for the day, do you have water with you? Invest in a good quality water bottle (such as the fantastic ones from Sigg that are durable and BPA-free) and take it with you. You are almost guaranteed to get more water throughout the day. Also, you will save money and the environment because buying beverages in plastic bottles and styrofoam cups not only costs money but adds to the waste stream.

4) Add healthy + delicious things to your water. It’s hard to down 8 glasses of water per day because it is just boring! However adding lemon, cucumber and more increases the flavor, adds healthful/detoxing qualities and also encourages you to drink more because it is more enjoyable. We have a page full of healthy beverage ideas here: 10 Healthiest Drink Recipes In The World