It is well known that we need water to maintain a healthy body and mind.
Why don’t people drink enough?
That is a question that has resonated with our team for years when trying to support people through personal training, sports massage and occupational health.
Water is also important for our normal daily functions and can help us focus on the job at hand.
Fitness goals
If you want to exercise and stay fit, you need water. You need it to regulate temperature, improve performance, build muscle, and burn fat. If you are exercising rigorously, you must drink more than the recommended amount. If you do this, you will get the benefits your hard work deserves.
We have seen clients training multiple times a week and not getting the results they desire. We have conducted experiments and asked them to drink two litres of water a day, minimum, for one week then BOOM, the results appear.
This particularly happens with weight loss, as sometimes the body is dehydrated and is trying to hold onto water, increasing body weight.
Can drinking water prevent injuries and aid rehabilitation?
Water lubricates the body, particularly around moving joints. Our muscles store water and our ligaments rely on water to aid stability.
Drinking water won’t directly prevent injuries, but it will help your body move freely and be strong when you need it.
If an injury occurs, your body’s homeostasis begins to alter, and your body needs support to help regenerate.
Water helps your body break down damaged tissue and repair it. Your injury will heal quicker which in turn, could help prevent further injuries.
We have seen this first-hand with clients. One client in particular; had just retired and had rotator cuff problems. He just wanted to be in the garden and play golf but couldn’t lift his arms.
We went into a rehabilitation phase and some lifestyle changes were required. He hardly ever drank water, thinking his ‘two cups of tea would do’. Our therapist said, “If you drink water, you will be able to play golf in four weeks. If you don’t, you might be playing in ten weeks.” Decision made.
Why else should we drink more water?
Mindful reasons
Water cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues.
Dehydration can affect brain structure and function. It is also involved in the production of hormones and neurotransmitters. Prolonged dehydration can lead to problems with thinking and reasoning.
If you are feeling lethargic and struggling to focus, just drink some extra water.
Breathing reasons
Our airways need it. When dehydrated, airways are restricted by the body to minimize water loss. This can make asthma and allergies worse.
We hope you can see how all of these are linked and that water plays a crucial role in maintaining physical and mental wellbeing.
Top tips to stay hydrated
Set a goal. Drinking two litres of water a day may not be realistic, to begin with. Try one litre and when you feel the benefits increase the amount slowly.
Use a bottle. Reusable bottles can help you monitor the amount you drink. Our CPF thermal bottles keep it nice and cool. 🙂
Monitor how you feel. Keep a check on your daily habits and how you are affected. It will be interesting to see how your mood and performance change, depending on your water intake.
We hope you found this useful and I hope you say healthy and happy. It is amazing that we can just turn a tap and drink clean water. Maybe we take it for granted just how wonderful water is.
Stay Hydrated: Water for Wellbeing is one of the many topics we deliver in our employee wellbeing webinars, designed to increase workforce productivity.
If you would like to discuss how we can improve the health and wellbeing of your employees, please contact us.
