With the human body consisting of 60% water, it is unsurprising that staying properly hydrated triggers many health benefits. 

Many factors will impact the amount of water you need to drink daily, but most medical experts recommend consuming the equivalent of eight small glasses of water per day. This is commonly labeled the 8 x 8 rule. 

7 Powerful Health Benefits of Drinking More Water 

1. Feel more energized by staying hydrated 

2. Drink more water for more supple skin 

3. Improve immune system function by hydrating yourself 

4. If you drink more water, you’ll feel mentally sharper 

5. Regularly drinking water throughout the day could help with weight loss 6. Drinking water can help you combat headache 

7. Flush out the toxins in your system by drinking more water 

1) Feel more energized by staying hydrated 

Even mild levels of dehydration can adversely affect both energy levels and mood. With roughly two-thirds of your body composed of water, dehydration impacts most bodily functions. 

Research shows that dehydration is associated with reduced vigor, and increased fatigue, confusion, and anger. Proper cellular function depends on proper hydration. All systems of the body will function more efficiently when hydrated. 

You should drink small glasses of water throughout the day to keep dehydration at bay. If you feel thirsty, it’s already too late. Thirst is a warning sign from a dehydrated body. 

2) Drink more water for more supple skin 

With so much of the body composed of water, dehydration can easily harm the skin, the largest organ of the body.

Drinking enough water is the most effective natural anti-aging strategy. Studies indicate that water intake is associated with improved skin hydration and less dryness of the skin, both crucial factors in ensuring skin stays soft and supple. 

3) Improve immune system function by hydrating yourself 

Hydration plays a vital role in lubricating mucous membrane barriers in your mouth and nose. These barriers form the first line of defense against pathogens. 

Beyond this, hydration also serves the following roles in immune system function: 

● Clearing cellular waste 

● Lymphatic draining 

● Transporting nutrients 

4) If you drink more water, you’ll feel mentally sharper 

If you feel your mental performance flagging, this could be due to dehydration. Research suggests that if you are dehydrated by as little as 2%, this can impair the following: 

● Tasks requiring attention 

● Immediate memory skills 

● Psychomotor tasks 

● Assessment of subjectivity 

Drinking water, then, can deliver a more powerful boost than a shot of espresso. Focus and concentrate better by drinking more water and feel sharper mentally as a result. 

5) Regularly drinking water throughout the day could help with weight loss

Water contains no calories, so you can drink as much as you want throughout the day with no impact on your waistline. The same cannot be said for soda, even diet soda. 

This review of studies shows that optimal water consumption can help promote weight loss when coupled with an appropriate diet and exercise regime.

By drinking water, you’ll fill your stomach and feel fuller. This can lead you to consume fewer calories, especially if you drink a large glass of water directly before each meal. 

6) Drinking water can help you combat headaches 

Dehydration sometimes triggers both headaches and migraines. Indeed, headaches are known to be among the most common symptoms of dehydration. 

Beyond this, some research hints that drinking water could relieve headaches in those prone to experiencing frequent headaches. Research in this area is inconclusive and ongoing, though, with more research required to flesh out how increasing hydration leads to improved symptoms of headaches and fewer headaches occurring. 

7) Combat fatigue through proper hydration 

Water consumption helps your body efficiently process waste, both through perspiration and urination. When you stay hydrated, you also protect yourself against kidney stones forming, and also safeguard yourself against UTIs (urinary tract infections). 

Your liver, lungs, and kidneys normally process all toxins without outside assistance. Sometimes – in the event of alcohol abuse, for instance – consuming more water can help your organs to purge toxins more expediently. While there are treatment programs and addiction hotlines to help, the best thing you can do is avoid the problem to begin with 

Final Thoughts 

Whether you drink water from the faucet, filtered water, or bottled water, what counts is drinking enough throughout the day that you never feel pangs of thirst.

While there is no fixed rule for how much water you should drink each day, always avoid waiting until you feel thirsty before grabbing some H20. 

Little and often is the soundest strategy. Drinking small glasses of water every couple of hours throughout the day will keep your system firing on all cylinders, while avoiding an uptick in bathroom visits. 

Whether you drink water from the faucet, filtered water, or bottled water, what counts is drinking enough throughout the day that you never feel pangs of thirst.