Why You Should Try Drinking More Plain Water

Ever feel tired, drained, or disorientated? Stayed up a little
too late finishing homework? Do you need an easy boost of
energy or to refresh your mind? Well, how about
something simple–a cup of water?
It’s recommended that an individual drinks at least eight cups of
water a day. However, the average person drinks about half of that
amount (at 3.9 cups), according to the US Department of
Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. Of course, this water
is consumed in different ways. It could be
through fruits, vegetables, or a highly popularized one-energy and
sports drinks.
Don’t get me wrong, these drinks can be good. You restore lost
electrolytes after a workout and feel more energized, and some
may find the taste much better than normal water. With about
fifty-six percent of adolescents engaged in some type of sport, it’s
understandable that frequent consumption of these products is
considered to be “normal.” However, a daily intake of these
special drinks may do more harm than good in the long run if you
have consumed in an unnecessary manner. According to the
American Academy of Pediatrics, “Excessive regular consumption
of carbohydrate-containing beverages increases overall daily
caloric intake without significant additional nutritional value.
Therefore, frequent consumption adversely affects the appropriate
balance of carbohydrate, fat, and protein intakes needed for
optimal growth, development, body composition, and health.” Of
course, everyone has different metabolisms, routines and health
needs. I don’t mean sports and energy drinks (or drinks with a
relatively high sucrose amount) should not be consumed, but they
shouldn’t be drunk in an unreasonable quantity or as a substitute
for water on a daily basis.
Perhaps the best way to stay hydrated daily is through plain
water itself. According to the Mayo Clinic, water makes up about
fifty to seventy percent of your body weight, and your body
depends on it for all bodily processes to happen. When your body
lacks water, you become dehydrated, which can cause moodiness,
disorientated thinking, and more.
I know it may be difficult to have to gulp down eight cups of
water a day, let alone remember to even drink it (again, the
amount of water someone requires depends on the person). But
there are ways to incorporate drinking more water into your day
to reach this goal if you aren’t already. For example, having a
quick half cup to one cup of water in the morning after waking
up is a good way to help meet this goal, and hopefully, help to
wake you up a little more. Keeping a water bottle with you can
help to remind you to hydrate daily. These are all little steps you
can incorporate into your life to keep you hydrated.
It’s easy to forget to hydrate with so many other things going
on, especially as a high school student. But perhaps this little habit
can help you do the tasks you need to do more efficiently. It’s
important to remember that, to be able to do the activities in our
daily lives, we need to be physically and mentally healthy. A small
and easy way of doing that can be taking a minute to drink water,
to refresh and steady your mind. So while it’s fresh in your brain,
why don’t you go get yourself a glass of water as you read your
next article?