6 Scientific Benefits of Proper Hydration

As a teacher, sometimes a full glass of water during the day seems like a luxury. Most educators find themselves limiting their water intake because, well, there’s often a limit to the amount of bathroom breaks one can take.

But without water, you can’t stay properly hydrated, and proper hydration is paramount to a healthy mind and body.

Here are six scientifically proven ways to stay hydrated — and risking that additional trip to the bathroom is key.

1. Better focus and memory

Remember that time you found your car keys in the freezer? Well, we all have these moments and turns out, dehydration may be the culprit.  Dehydration can make the tissues in the brain shrink, which contributes to fogginess, lack of focus, and low energy. Drinking just a few more glasses of water a day can keep your brain on track, your focus crystal clear, and your milk out of your cupboard.

2. Relieve those painful headaches naturally

Headaches are often a part of a hectic and stressful life. But honestly? Drinking plenty of water can keep them at bay and even help to relieve them more quickly. A dehydrated brain may pull away from the skull as it shrinks. Gross, right? This pulling away can cause a painful headache in the front, side, back, or all over the head. Water rehydrates the brain tissue, expanding it back to its normal state and relieving the pressure and pain.

3. Improve your mood

Experiencing frustration and irritability is normal. But sometimes sudden mood changes can be a result of not enough water intake. Dehydration has neurological impacts that can cause frustration, confusion, and a crummy attitude in general. Next time irritability starts to rear its ugly head, try drinking water to get your emotions in check and become more like yourself.

4. Reduce joint and muscle pain

Whether training for a marathon or walking your dog for the evening, proper hydration can literally make you feel stronger. Water lubricates joints and helps to keep muscles ready to perform. Water inside and outside the cells of muscles and joints delivers nutrients and removes wastes, allowing your muscles and joints to function as they should. So, for physical strength, forget those cans of spinach and reach for a glass of cold, refreshing water instead.

5. Naturally cleanse your body

There’s no need to find the latest body cleanse fad. Since our blood is roughly 90% water, it plays a very important role in keeping our bodies flushed of wastes and bacteria. To carry nutrients to your cells, flush wastes from your bladder, and prevent constipation, our blood needs water to do its job. And do it well.

6. Lose weight more effectively

Weight management is a very real concern for many. Staying properly hydrated can help in losing some of those unwanted — and unhealthy — pounds. Drinking one or two glasses of water before a meal can help to fill an empty stomach, resulting in naturally eating less. Drinking water can also boost a sluggish metabolism, increasing the body’s ability to burn calories and lose weight.

Drinking a healthy amount of water helps every system in the human body function properly. If you want to be on your A-game — mentally, physically, and emotionally — up your hydration. It’s as simple as that!

Ashley is an award-winning copywriter and content expert with more than a decade of proven results for national and local clients. From brainstorming high-end conceptual content to styling sentences that engage and convert, she’s got a knack for shattering the status quo. When she’s not in full-on writing mode, she’s hanging out with her rascal of a puppy and discussing the plausibility of unicorns with her 8-year-old daughter.