


Hydrating begins a day or two before exercise, says Krieger. Hydrate Smartly Before, During, and After Exercise For those with migraines, increasing water intake may help decrease migraine severity, frequency, and duration, noted a study published in 2020. What’s more, it can also trigger migraine attacks. Drink H 2O When You Have a HeadacheĪ headache can be a symptom of dehydration, says the National Headache Foundation. RELATED: 10 Stress-Fighting Snacks to Keep in Your Desk 5. Thus, making water a daily habit can help ensure your energy - and mood - stay steady. A review published in 2019 noted that in addition to fatigue, dehydration can cause anger, hostility, confusion, and depression.

Instead of turning to these imperfect solutions, address the root cause, which may be dehydration. Reaching for a sugary snack can have similarly unwelcome effects: namely, an energy crash after a spike. Even drinking caffeine six hours before bed was found to disrupt sleep compared to a placebo, according to research. This slump compels many people to get coffee to power through the end of the day, but this beverage choice can cut into your sleep, says Mitri. It’s common to experience the midafternoon dip, a downward slide of energy that happens around 3 p.m. Rather Than Reaching for Coffee to Cure a Midafternoon Slump, Drink Water So if you’re packing your plate with plant-based foods (as you should!), sip on water, too. Fiber moves through your digestive system and absorbs water, helping form stools and promote regularity, she says. Water is especially important to drink alongside high-fiber foods. Have a Glass of Water to Help Wash Down a Mealĭrinking water with food aids digestion, says Mitri. RELATED: 25 Tips for Weight Loss That Actually Work 3. A small study of men that was published in 2019 found that participants who drank two cups of iced water at 35 degrees F ate less food compared to groups that drank warm or hot water, as the chilly temperature slows digestion and may help reduce appetite. Indeed, a small study published in 2018 found that drinking water before a meal helped men and women eat less and feel just as satisfied as a group who didn’t drink water before.
Sip of water full#
“Drinking a cup of water before a meal can help you feel more full and help prevent overeating,” she says. Water may play a role in weight management, says Melissa Mitri, RD, a registered dietitian based in Monroe, Connecticut. To Regulate Hunger, a Glass of Water Before a Meal May Help (Still, coffee is not a replacement for water.) 2. The good news is that it counts as fluid, too, and, although it is a caffeinated drink, which tends to be dehydrating, moderate amounts of java are not dehydrating, according to one study. This can also help if you take medication in the morning. Having water as you start your day can get you back up to your baseline. Because you don’t drink while you’re sleeping, you wake up already dehydrated, explains Krieger. Rather than a bleary-eyed reach for the coffee, drink one to two cups of water first. When You Wake Up, Consume One to Two Cups of Water Here are seven times when sipping is a smart move to make: 1. Regardless of your hydration goal, it’s important to drink consistently throughout the day. RELATED: Hydration Calculator: How Much Water Do You Need to Drink a Day? Similarly, water intake recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine suggest men drink at least 13 (8 oz) cups of fluids per day and that women aim for 9 (8 oz) cups of fluids or more. (If you are 140 lb, that’s 70 oz of fluids, which is the equivalent of almost 9 cups of fluids.) That also depends on your activity level, if you’re in the heat, or if you’re pregnant, nursing, or ill - all factors that require you to increase hydration. Krieger instructs clients to take their body weight in pounds (lb), divide this number in half, and drink that many ounces (oz) in fluids, including water, each day. There are many guidelines about how much to drink. Water is critical for the function of your digestion, heart, lungs, and brain,” says Sarah Krieger, a registered dietitian nutritionist in St. If one of your goals is to drink more water, you’re on your way to a healthier body.
