You’ve probably heard the age-old adage that you should drink 8 glasses of water a day. That is sound advice, but do you know why? Beyond the immediate health benefits of hydration (your body is 60% water, after all) there are added benefits to drinking enough water that it should be your #1 beauty strategy this summer.
Recently it’s been argued that not every person needs exactly 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water a day, so the rule has changed to a more general one: you should drink enough water to replace the normal fluid loss humans experience on a daily basis. This means you’ll need more water in summer thanks to increased sweat due to warmer weather. You could, in fact, need more than 64 ounces a day.
While water does many things to promote your inner health, it also promotes your outer health and beauty through these benefits.
Weight loss or calorie reduction
The first signs you’re hungry can often actually be a trigger that you’re thirsty. Replacing caloric beverages with water helps satiate you and, by reducing overall calories, trigger weight loss. While this isn’t a comprehensive weight loss strategy, coupled with nutrition and exercise, it can be effective.
Skin care
Your skin contains plenty of water. Water doesn’t necessarily reduce wrinkles or fine lines, but dehydration can make your skin drier, thus emphasizing creases in your face. The fact is your skin is an organ, and needs water like the rest of your internal organs. Hydrating helps keep your skin soft. Drinking plenty of water also enhances your overall complexion with a healthy glow.
If you ever wake up with puffy eyes and dark circles, you’re likely not getting enough sleep. Water hydration helps alleviate those symptoms and through other benefits of water, may help you sleep better. These additional benefits include increased circulation, regulated body temperature, and flushing out toxins in your body that could be a cause of sleep loss.
Hair
Just as with skin care, hydration leads to healthier, shinier hair naturally. Water aids in vitamin consumption and those essential vitamins promote hair growth and health. Lack of water in our body means our hair will be drier and more prone to split ends. And as there is skin under our hair, the overall skin health of your body affects the look and feel of your hair as well.
Nail Care
The nutrients present in your hair are also present in your nails. By drinking enough water, you’re delivering essential vitamins and promoting nail growth as well. If you’ve ever noticed white splotches in your nails, this could be due to dehydration. While they won’t magically disappear with increased water consumption, over time they will grow out and be replaced with healthier hydrated nail beds.
How do you know if you’re drinking enough water? The easiest way to tell is by checking your urine. If your output is dark you need more water. When you are hydrated, your urine will be a pale yellow color. To determine what you need, the 8 glasses a day is good starting point, but be aware you may in fact need more.
