Water is the only drink for wise man
We all heard this piece of advise several time from our childhood that drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day is good for health. But still we don’t know, Is there any right time to drink water?
Well! There is.
Even search engines are flooded with lots of information on – when to drink water, why to drink water on an empty stomach, the best time to drink water after a meal, weight loss, and so on.
It is essential to remain hydrated all the time. But more than that, it is important to drink the right amount of water at the right time.
Normally we spend lots of time and money in the gym to lose weight and get toned. But have you ever wondered that just a small change in your drinking habits can also help you burn lots of calories?
Drinking water at the right time is one of those small changes that can help you lose weight, get a glowing skin tone, boost your digestion, and improve your physical fitness.
Read on to find detailed information backed by scientific research on the right time to drink water.
Health Benefits of Drinking Water at Right Time
Water forms one of the major constituents of the human body and it plays a significant role in the functioning of all the vital organs.
Throughout the day, we lose a substantial part of the water from our body in the form of sweat, breath, bowel movement, and urine.
The purpose of drinking water is to replenish the water content in our body.
- Flush out toxins
- lubricating the joints
- Promote healthy weight loss,
- Producing saliva and mucus,
- Maintain oxygen supply all across the body
- Good functioning of the brain,
- Improve digestive system,
- Control blood pressure,
- Maintain glowing skin tone, and much more,
These are the reasons you need to keep hydrating your body frequently. We can reap the optimum benefit of water only if we drink it at the right time.
When is the Right Time to Drink Water?
Generally, people tend to drink water when they are thirsty. While there is nothing wrong with that, health experts advise drinking water on an empty stomach.
Water works best when we drink it on an empty stomach.
When the stomach is full, it’s best to let the other digestive juices carry out their responsibilities. If we drink water at the time or right after a meal, water interferes in the process of digestion leading to health hazards more than being helpful.
Experts suggest that water intake at the right time can help in the process of weight loss.
So when to drink water to lose weight? As per Japanese traditional medicine, water intake on an empty stomach helps in healthy weight loss, promotes healthy skin, and prevents several diseases.
So how to space out water intake throughout the day that will help us reap its optimum benefit?
8 Best Time to Drink Water
1. Drink Water After Waking Up
Health experts suggest drinking water first thing in the morning is the best way to start your day.
As per World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, it helps to develop habits for healthy hydration and increase fluid intake throughout the day. It further recommends having the water warm with lemon in it.
Sipping warm water right after waking up helps tingles down your throat and flows through your intestinal tracts waking your body up from the deep slumber. It helps in bowel movement and eradicates toxins from the body.
It kick-starts your day and gives you the energy to perform further morning tasks.
2. Drink Water After Workout
The significance of drinking water before, during, and after a workout or any other aerobic or athletic activity cannot be emphasized enough. It helps to replenish the hydration level and improves performance during physical activity.
We tend to lose more water than usual when we indulge in a sport or any other form of physical activity. Hence keeping up the hydration and electrolyte level is essential.
Studies show that losing more than 2% of the body fluid at the time of a workout or athletic activity can lead to dehydration. It can bring down the performance level and also be detrimental to the overall health.
How much water we should be drinking before and after exercise?
Many fitness experts suggest drinking 1-2 glasses of water during and after a workout is enough to protect your body against dehydration and muscles cramps.
Mayo Clinique explained the data from the American college of sports medicine (ACSM), that states –
Drink Water Before Exercise – Drink 2-3 cups (473-710 milliliters) of water 2-3 hours before workouts.
Drink Water During Exercise – Drink 1/2 -1 cup (118-237 milliliters) of water every 15-20 minutes during workouts.
Drink Water After Exercise – Drink 2-3 cups (473-710 milliliters) of water after workouts for every pound lost during workouts.
Water is the best way to reload your fluid and bring your temperature normal.
3. Water Before and After Meals
Going by the thumb rule of drinking water on an empty stomach, we should drink water before a meal. It is believed that drinking a glass of water half an hour before and after a meal aids the process of digestion.
It is best to avoid drinking water during the meal or right after the meal as water interferes with the digestive juices and hinders the process of digestion. It hinders proper absorption of nutrients and also triggers acid reflux.
What is the best time to drink water after a meal?
Ideally, it is best to keep 30 minutes intervals, both before and after a meal.
How much water should we drink before a meal?
As per scientific research, having 500 ml of water before the main meal accelerates the weight loss process.
4. Drink Water Before Taking Bath
One more health recommendation that is going rampant is that of drinking water before taking a bath.
Drinking water before a bath is believed to help in controlling blood pressure.
Albeit, there is no scientific research to prove the claim that drinking water before taking bath helps to regulate blood pressure, it might have rooted in traditional beliefs. And if not for any other reason, at the least, it aids a healthy hydration habit by setting a slot for drinking water at one particular time of the day – that is before going for a bath.
How much water should we drink before going for a bath?
One glass of water should be taken before going for a bath.
5. Drink Water Before Going to Bed
Going by the popular notion, drinking water before hitting the sack helps to prevent heart attacks. Water intake before going to bed helps to replenish the fluid loss that occurs while we are asleep.
Sleep advisor suggests that drinking water before going to bed at night might increase the risk of nocturia or the urge to urinate at night. This might further lead to disturbed sleep.
Drinking water before going to bed is essential if you are dehydrated or have not taken water for a long time. Because you should never let yourself be dehydrated.
The recommended sleep quota at night is 8 hours, and going to bed dehydrated might affect your health in multiple ways. Hence, it is advised to drink water before going to bed.
How much water should we drink before going to bed?
A person with a healthy hydration habit can drink half a glass to one glass of water before going to bed.
6. Drink Water When You’re Feeling Sick
Maintaining the hydration level is essential particularly when we are going through any medical condition. It could be an occasional flu, a chronic ailment like acidity or IBS, or auto-immune disease such as diabetes or thyroid. Proper intake of water and maintaining a healthy saturation level is essential.
Certain ailments of the liver and kidney cause restriction to fluid consumption. In such cases, medical advice should be followed.
7. Drink Water When You’re Feeling Tired
Feeling tired in itself is an indication of your body being dehydrated. It means that you have been too engrossed in something to even remember to drink water.
It has resulted in the loss of body fluid, which has led to the feeling of tiredness.
8. Drink Water When Surrounded by Infected or Sick People
The best way to protect yourself in an infected environment is to keep drinking water.
All doctors and caregivers of Covid affected patients have been advised to keep drinking water throughout the day.
Sipping warm water has been universally recommended as a preventive measure. Since water plays a significant role in flushing out the toxins. It also keeps us protected in an infected environment.
How to Maximize Your Water Intake Per Day?
Most of the food products that we eat have a certain percentage of water content in it. The general tendency is to drink water when we feel thirsty.
Some health experts also suggest that the best way to check the hydration level of the body is to check the color of the urine which should ideally be clear. If the color of the urine turns yellow, it is a clear mark of the body being dehydrated.
- Follow a routine for drinking water
- Make your water healthy and tasty, Eg. Detox water, Lemon water, replace soda drinks, or other healthy drinks.
- Eat water rich fruits, such as strawberries, watermelon, and green salad.
However, it is better to avoid aerated drinks and alcohol because, even though they come under the fluid category and also appease the palette, these drinks usually lead to dehydration.
Healthy Time Schedule of Drinking 8 Glass of Water
Common FAQ:
Why Drinking Water In The Morning Is Important?
Drinking water first thing in the morning helps to wash out the toxins and regulates bowel movement. It replenishes the water loss that takes place while we are asleep.
What Is The Right Way To Drink Water?
The right way to drink water is by sitting down with a glass of water and take it to sip by sip just like you drink a hot beverage. Water intake should be done in moderation.
According to scientific research, overhydration can also lead to health hazards. Depending upon the climatic conditions and physical exertion, the requirement of water intake may vary from 2-4 liters.
Is It Good To Drink Water At Night?
It is essential to make sure that your body is not dehydrated at the time when you go to bed.
Health experts say, drinking water before going to bed prevents sudden cardiac arrest. However, it can also lead to frequent urination at night which will lead to disturbed sleep.
Hence, it is best to drink a glass of water or milk for half an hour to one hour before going to bed.
Should I Drink Water Every Hour?
WHO suggest to keep your body adequately hydrated.
Following a schedule to drink water every hour is just a way to make sure that you don’t forget to drink water and it is spaced out with the meal times.
Also, keep a check on the color of the urine as it clearly indicates the hydration status of your body.
What Is The Best Time To Drink Water For Weight Loss?
Best time to drink water for weight loss is to have it early in the morning right after waking up and half an hour before the meal.
A 2014 study on overweight females was done in which they drank 500ml water 30 minutes before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in addition to their regular water consumption for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks they found reduced body weight and mass index.
Warm water taken after you wake up in the morning helps to clean your stomach by regulating the bowel movement and washes out the toxin from our bodies.
Drinking water half an hour before the meals make us feel full and hence control our food intake.
What Is The Best Time To Drink Water For Glowing Skin?
Healthy and glowing skin is the result of a healthy body. If your body is well hydrated and you don’t have any internal ailment, it will surely bring a natural glow to your skin.
What Is The Best Time To Drink Water For Weight Gain?
As it is said that drinking water before a meal helps to intake fewer calories during the meals, it is ideal to avoid drinking water before meals if you are trying to gain weight. Rather, switch the time of drinking water half an hour after the meal.
Is It Good To Drink Water Immediately After Eating?
As per Ayurveda, water right after your meal can dilute your digestive juice and lead to poor digestion.
It directly impacts digestion which in turn can lead to indigestion, obesity, and gastric. Therefore water immediately after a meal is not encouraged by Ayurveda. Wait for at least half an hour after your meal.
Does Drinking Water Before Meals Help You To Lose Weight?
Water is very helpful to lose weight. It’s 100% calorie-free and helps you to burn calories by suppressing your appetite if consumed before meals.
It turns into a magical drink for weight loss, if you replace all of your sugary drinks with plain water.
A study proved a significant difference in calorie intake in older adults who drank 300-500 ml water before lunch. However, for young adults, though they experienced a fullness, there was not much difference in their calorie intake.
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