How Water Increases Energy | Easy Tests For Dehydration
How Much Water Do You Need? | How to Drink More Water:
My Top Tips | More Benefits of Drinking Water
Hiya Gorgeous,
We recently wrapped up our annual reader survey. I loved reading all your fabulous feedback. When I asked about what topics interest you most, one of the top three answers was “increasing energy.” My #1 answer for unlocking more energy may surprise you…
It’s water! There is a direct link between hydration and energy levels. Let’s talk about how water adds energy to your day, and discuss some simple, fun ways to be sure you’re getting enough H2O.
Key Takeaways ✔
- Adequate water intake boosts energy by improving nutrient and oxygen delivery, improving metabolism, supporting muscle and joint function, and aiding physical performance.
- Simple tests like the skin pinch and observing urine color can indicate hydration levels.
- You can calculate your daily water intake need by dividing your body weight in pounds by two for ounces needed, or weight in kilograms by 30 for liters.
- Beyond energy, water promotes healthy skin, aids digestion, regulates body temperature, supports joint health, and helps flush toxins.
Why Better Hydration Makes You More Energetic
How Water Increases Energy
Water Helps deliver nutrients & oxygen to the body’s cells
Water makes up a large part of your blood, and your blood is the delivery system of your body. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all your cells. When you’re dehydrated, your blood volume decreases, which makes your heart work harder to pump blood and deliver those life-giving packages to your cells. All that extra work can leave you feeling tired and fatigued. Staying hydrated helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently, saving energy. And energy stored is energy gained. (Source)
Water Can Maintain Your Metabolism
Mild dehydration can impact the rate at which your body burns calories for energy, your metabolic rate. A study found that drinking about 16 oz (or 500 ml) of water can boost your metabolic rate by 30% for almost a full an hour! The link between drinking water and stimulating your metabolism is what provides more energy. (Source)
Water Supports Proper Muscle & Joint Function
When you’re dehydrated, your body pulls water from muscles and they can’t contract as efficiently, which leads to fatigue. Sufficient hydration lubricates joints making movement easier, helps prevent muscle cramps helping ensure comfort, and enables muscles to work better so you feel strong. Muscles and joints need water to function optimally. And when your muscles and joints are optimized, your energy levels are more stable throughout the day. (Source)
Water helps optimize your physical performance
If you’ve ever felt pressure to lose weight in a short time, you may have tried to shed water weight. But do you know that losing even 1-2% of body weight from fluids can impair your physical (including brain and memory) performance and lead to fatigue? This goes back to how water fuels our body’s delivery system, the blood. Dehydration reduces blood volume, makes your heart work harder, and causes your body temperature to rise—making physical activity more difficult. Staying hydrated is critical for maintaining your energy during movement and activity.
You may think you need a sports or energy drinks during exercise. But you don’t typically need these unless you are engaged in medium to high intensity activity for more than an hour. Otherwise, you can just drink water to stay hydrated during workouts. (Source)
Easy Tests for Dehydration
Skin Test
Hold out your hand. Pinch the skin on the back of your hand. Release and watch…
- If it returns to normal, you’re probably well hydrated.
- But if takes it’s time, like a slowly folding tent, drink some water!
Now, if you’re older, your skin may not bounce back as quickly as you’d like it to, and that is okay, too. So another way to check is just by looking at your pee.
Color Test
Oh, my goodness, the toilet has so much to teach us! Look at your pee. It should be a light shade of yellow color. (Not the shade of your favorite lager beer. You save that for the glass, not for the toilet.)
If it’s dark, drink some water!
My Wellness Tracker includes a water intake counter to help you stay on track with your hydration needs. Just enter your information below and get it for free.
How Much Water Do You Need?
If you’re not sure how much water you need, here’s an easy, approximate way to determine your target fluid intake.
- Divide your body weight by two. That’s the approximate number of ounces that you should drink daily.
- In case you’re on the metric scale, divide your weight in kilograms by 30 to determine the number of liters that you need.
Again, this is a rough estimate and it just gives us a goal to reach towards.
How to Drink More Water: My Top Tips
- Keep Water Visible
If your water is out of sight, it is probably going to be out of mind. My favorite technique—yes, I call it a technique—is to do something as easy as fill up a big pitcher in the morning. I fill it up with the amount of water that I need to drink for the day, and I put it on my desk. And as I go about the day, I see it and I just keep taking sips my water glass.
If you need a little reminder, you can always set a timer on your phone.
Here’s the BPA-free travel water bottle I mentioned in the video above. - Customize Your Water Bottle
There’s so many wonderful water bottles out there now! Find something that’s you like, let it speak to you. You want to be attracted to it because you want it to call you to it throughout the day.
If all you have is a mason jar or a BPA free plastic bottle, that’s okay! Decorate it! Make it fun! Put affirmations on it. Make it easy for yourself.
You can glam up a large mason jar to keep in your sight line throughout the day. - Add Flavor For Taste
Make it simple for yourself and add some extra pizzazz because some people think water’s boring. I think it’s absolutely delicious. But if you are one of those people who won’t drink the water because you think it’s boring, then just add some fresh fruit to it.
Cut up your favorite fruit or pull some frozen fruit out of the freezer and put it in there. You can make it as simple or as fancy as you’d like. Grab some cucumber and rosemary and pretend you’re at a spa—ooh la la.
Check out this fruit-infuser water bottle with a lifetime warranty.
More Benefits of Drinking Water
Want to know more about what makes water so wonderful? After all, your body is made up of 60% water, which means water impacts just about every function in your system performs! Let’s take a look at how water impacts your overall health.
Water Promotes Healthy Skin
Your skin is your first natural barrier to disease. Water helps to keep your skin hydrated, plump, and radiant by improving its elasticity and reducing dryness and flakiness. It also aids in flushing out toxins from the skin, promoting a clearer complexion and reducing the risk of acne. (Source)
Water Supports Digestive Health
Water helps your digestive system break down food, dissolve nutrients, and move waste through your gut. Staying hydrated can prevent constipation and promote regular bowel movements, aiding in gut health and your body’s absorption of nutrients. (Source)
Water Regulates Body Temperature
Sweat is how our beautiful bodies regulate their temperature through. And if your severely dehydrated, you can’t sweat. Adequate hydration is necessary to replenish the fluids you lose when you sweat and maintain proper body temperature regulation. Drinking water helps reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke. (Source)
Water Supports Joint Health
Water acts as a lubricant for joints, helping to reduce friction and cushioning them during movement. Proper hydration ensures the fluid surrounding your joints remains viscous and supportive, reducing the risk of pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Staying hydrated is especially important if you have arthritis to help maintain mobility and joint function. (Source)
Water Flushes Toxins and Waste Products
Water flushes out toxins and waste products through urine and sweat. Hydration supports kidney function, which filters waste from the blood and expels it in urine. Drinking enough water ensures efficient detoxification and reduces the risk of kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and other urinary-related issues. (Source)
If you’re feeling thirsty, go grab a glass of water, and let’s raise a toast to a more hydrated and energetic you!
Now it’s your turn. What are you going to do today to increase your water intake? Let’s encourage each other in the comments.
To a happy, hydrated you,
Thank you for this reminder about water. I’ve been really tired, stiff and achy, thinking something bad is going on. It’s likely I’m not getting enough water. Some things I read say any fluids count. Do you agree? Would coffee, green tea count?
I’m glad the reminder resonated with you! Adequate hydration is indeed crucial for overall well-being. While fluids like coffee and green tea can contribute to your daily fluid intake, it’s essential to ensure you’re also consuming plain water regularly. Coffee and green tea, although hydrating to some extent, can have diuretic effects, meaning they may lead to increased urine production and potential dehydration if not balanced with sufficient water intake. Therefore, incorporating a variety of fluids, including water, herbal teas, and infused water, can help maintain hydration levels effectively. Remember to listen to your body’s signals and adjust your fluid intake accordingly to feel your best!
Trick for me to stay hydrated
I have a whiteboard in my kitchen, I wrote ‘drink water’ at the bottom and decorated it, now when I walk through the kitchen I see it I get water before I grab a snack! Win win
That’s a fantastic idea! Great job.