Ladies, did you know that more than 60% of the composition of the human body is water? Lack of water intake or dehydration can cause constipation, headaches, fatigue, dry skin, kidney disorders, and seizures. To meet the needs of water intake, it is recommended to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. The amount of water needed by a person can vary depending on various things including the environment, activities, and health conditions.
Here are 5 benefits of drinking enough water for the health of our bodies:
- Maximize physical performance
If we do not drink enough water, our physical performance will not be optimal, especially when doing high-intensity activities or in hot environments. Losing 2% of the water content in the body, through sweat and evaporation, can cause immediate side effects.
Dehydration can disrupt body temperature regulation, increase fatigue, and make activities more difficult both physically and mentally. Drinking enough water during activity or exercise can also reduce the risk of muscle cramps.
- Significantly affect brain function
Research shows that mild dehydration can impair various aspects of brain function. What is meant by mild dehydration is a loss of water content of as much as 1-3% of a person's body weight. Loss of 1.4% water affects mood, and concentration, and increases the frequency of headaches. Meanwhile, losing 1.6% of water can cause memory disturbances and increase feelings of fatigue and anxiety.
- Can prevent and relieve headaches
Headache is one of the most common symptoms when a person is dehydrated. In addition, drinking enough water can help relieve headaches in groups of people who experience frequent headaches.
- Can relieve constipation
Constipation is a condition characterized by infrequent bowel movements and difficulty in passing stool. Dehydration can cause stool to become hard and difficult to pass through the digestive organs. Therefore, increasing water intake is one of the ways that can be done to prevent and relieve constipation.
- Help lose weight
Consuming water can help us lose weight by increasing feelings of fullness or satiety and boosting the body's metabolic rate. An accelerated metabolism can increase the number of calories burned each day.
The right time to consume water with the aim of losing weight is about 30 minutes before you have your meal. It aims to make us feel fuller so that the amount of food consumed becomes less.
There are several conditions that require a person to need more fluid intake than usual, including when exercising, when the weather is very hot, and when experiencing fever and diarrhea. In addition, women who are pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are also advised to consume more water, respectively, 2.4 liters and 3.1 liters per day.
Sources :
P2PTM Kemenkes RI. (2020). Kapan saja Anda membutuhkan asupan air?Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia. [online]. http://p2ptm.kemkes.go.id/infographic/kapan-saja-anda-membutuhkan-asupan-air
Leech, J. & Kubala, J. (2020). 7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water. Healthline. [online]. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water