Water is more than just something we need on a hot day. Water is VITAL to a healthy and properly functioning body. Staying hydrated is an essential part of a healthy mind and body. Keep reading to find out just a few reasons why we need water.

Strong Muscles
Without water, your muscles can’t get the oxygen they usually need to be carried through your blood. When this happens, your muscles can’t perform at peak efficiency, leaving you more easily tired and sore. Be sure to stay hydrated to help your muscles be strong and avoid painful straining and cramps!

Mental Health
When your body isn’t getting the water it needs, it impacts your brain. Focus, thought processes, emotional state, and more are all directly connected to brain function. Being hydrated can help reduce brain fog, stress, and anxiety by allowing your mind to stay clearer, faster, and calmer.

Skin Care
Water helps the body flush out toxins and chemicals from the body. These are often picked up by our skin products and the foods we eat. So when we aren’t drinking enough water, these substances can sit on our skin for a long time… This can contribute to skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, and more. We need water to help our skin be clearer and properly flush out any ick that’s seeped into it.

Blood Pressure
Dehydration can contribute to both spiking and falling blood pressure. It can be hazardous to those who may have a specific medical condition. Your blood pressure can drop because of the lowered blood volume by not drinking enough water. It starves your body of much-needed oxygen and nutrients and can result in shock.

On the other end of the spectrum, lack of water can also lead to heightened blood pressure. When the body is dehydrated, the kidneys go into self-preservation mode and try to get more water into the body by re-filtering urine rather than passing it. It creates a concentration of a hormone called vasopressin—which can cause a spike in blood pressure and constricted blood vessels.

These are just a few reasons we need water to have a healthy mind and body. To be sure you stay hydrated, a good rule of thumb is to drink half of your weight in ounces each day. For example, if you weighed one hundred pounds, you would need fifty ounces of water a day to be adequately hydrated. Until you’ve developed good water-drinking habits, keep track of your water intake each day, and figure out how you can improve to have a healthier lifestyle. Happy hydrating!

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.