How Important is it to Stay Hydrated?
By Isabella Scala
We hear all the time in today’s world that drinking water is important, but how much truth is there to that statement? What are the benefits of getting a healthy amount of water in our diet, both physically and mentally? Finally, how do we as college students get all of the water we need in a day with our busy schedules? Read these benefits that come from drinking water, as well as fun tips to help get you started on the path to healthy hydration!
How much water do we actually need to be drinking?
According to the Mayo Clinic, adult men need to drink approximately 3.7 liters of water a day, and women need to drink about 2.7 liters of water per day. These numbers can seem daunting, and you may be thinking to yourself, “there’s no way I can drink that much water in a day!” However, there are many benefits to getting an adequate amount of water each day:
Improves mental performance
Improves physical performance
Improves skin, hair, and nail health
Improves energy levels
Helps reduce, prevent, and get rid of headaches and migraines
Helps improve your memory and cognitive function
Flushes out toxins
Helps regulate your body temperature
Helps weight management and weight loss
How to get your hydration in:
As you can see, these benefits are real and are things that every stressed out, overwhelmed and busy college student needs. But with such busy schedules and seemingly not enough time in the day to get everything done, how can you fit all the water you need to be drinking into your schedule to feel and look your best? Below are some simple and fun ways to make sure you’re drinking all the water your body needs.
Carry a reusable water bottle! Carrying a water bottle around that you can refill and reuse around campus greatly improves your chances of getting all the water you need. One with measurements printed on the side can also help you to gauge how much water you’re drinking!
Write on your water bottle! With a marker, write the hours of the day along the sides of your water bottle. This can help serve as a reminder for how much water you should be drinking!
Mix it up! If you don’t like drinking water because it tastes too “plain”, try drinking water in different ways, like in iced teas, coffees, and smoothies. These can be fun ways to get some extra benefits while remaining hydrated!
