Hey BA!

Water is crucial for maintaining homeostasis, which is essentially just your body staying in balance. The list of benefits is extensive, but here are few of the most important functions according to Harvard Medical (link to article below if you want to read more):

Acts as a carrier for nutrients and oxygen to your cells
Aids in a healthy bladder by flushing out harmful bacteria
Helps digestion
Blood pressure regulation and stabilization
Heartbeat stabilizer
Acts as a cushion to help protect joints, organs, and tissues
Regulates internal temperature
Helps to maintain electrolyte balance

So… staying hydrated is obviously important for overall health. What I want to focus on today though is the importance of timing. Learning the key moments to drink that additional glass of water is key to increased vitality.

First and foremost (and we touched on this last week with the morning routine), water should be the first thing you consume when you wake in the morning. You just slept (hopefully) 8-ish hours and your body is dehydrated. Sleep is kind of like an airplane on autopilot - you may not necessarily have to do anything to fly the plane, but it’s still using fuel. In the same way, you may not be consciously doing anything while you sleep, but your body is still highly active. While you sleep your body is working to heal and detoxify itself. Therefore, water first thing in the morning is probably the most important time I can impress upon you. Especially if you wake up feeling sluggish, water will provide that boost of alertness we desire from coffee. Once this starts to become a habit, you will find you actually crave it! Nothing else seems to hit the spot like a glass of water first thing.

Just like water can help a sluggish morning, the same goes for those energy slumps throughout the day. I recommend keeping a large water bottle with you and continuing to re-fill it as you drink. Even slight dehydration leaves you feeling lethargic. Since water aids in digestion, there’s a good chance that post-lunch you are somewhat dehydrated when that 2-3pm slump hits. Before reaching for that afternoon coffee or snack, try drinking a glass of water first. You may be surprised the boost of energy that simple act provides.

Along that thought, let me dive deeper into the water before snack habit… Often times we actually mix up our hunger and thirst signals. So, when you get that urge to snack there’s a good chance your body is misinterpreting a thirst signal for hunger. It’s actually a vicious cycle, because as mentioned before digestion only leaves you thirstier. Therefore, eating will only intensify the thirst signal, which if you are interpreting it as hunger will only cause you to eat more. Simple solution? When you get the urge to snack throughout the day, drink a glass of water first and then wait about 10 minutes. There’s really nothing to lose. Either you were actually thirsty and problem solved, or it was hunger and at least you got another glass of water in before snack time.

How much water should you be drinking? It depends on the individual, activity level, and where you live. Someone living in high altitude needs 2-3x the water of someone at sea level. There are general formulas for determining your needs, such as half your body weight in ounces, which is a good starting point, but it can be difficult to keep track of throughout the day. Instead, I find it best to just keep an eye on your urine. Optimal hydration level is a straw-like color. If darker, drink a glass of water. If you are thirsty but your urine is clear, it could be an electrolyte imbalance. Try drinking a mineral water and see if that helps quench the thirst.

This Week’s Challenge:

Drink a tall glass of water…

Upon waking
Before snacking

Drink like a fish!

Harvard Medical article: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-water-should-you-drink