Water is a vital part of your diet, but
most of us don’t get enough of it. We drink coffee, soda, energy
drinks, and other beverages to keep us hydrated, often neglecting
water because of its plain taste. If you’re trying to add more
water to your day but still get tempted by other drinks, then you can
start by drinking a glass of water at certain times during the day.
Times where you get the most health and hydration benefits from a
simple glass of h2o.
Here’s a list of the best times to
drink water during the day and why these times are so important.
First thing in the morning
As soon as you wake up in the morning,
the best thing you can do is guzzle down a glass of water. Your body
will need rehydrating after several hours without food and drink, and
a glass of water helps to get everything moving again. Water is great
for waking you up in the morning and is also good for your skin and
digestion when you drink it first thing on an empty stomach.
Before each meal
You’ve already drunk your early
morning water before you have breakfast, and you should do the same
for your other meals throughout the day, too. Drinking before eating
hydrates the mouth, esophagus, and stomach so that it’s prepared
for the food it’s about to digest. Water also increases feelings of
fullness, making you less likely to overeat, which is great if you’re
trying to improve
your portion control.
When you feel like snacking
If you feel like
eating between meals, it might just be that you’re thirsty rather
than hungry. Craving
sweet treats can especially be a sign of this. When you feel like
snacking, drink a glass of water first and then decide whether you
still need to eat something or not.
Before you go to bed
It’s important to make sure you’re
hydrated before you go to bed since you’re not going to be drinking
for the next 6 – 9 hours. But, at the same time, you don’t want
to be up in the night needing the toilet. Drink a glass of water one
hour before going to bed to optimize hydration and comfort at night.
Even if you start by adding one or two
extra
cups of water to your day, it’s a step in the right direction.
Want to make sure you always have fresh, delicious water available?
Mountain Park Spring Water can provide you with an efficient spring
water delivery service for your home or office. Get
in touch today for delivery around Kernersville, Winston Salem,
High point, and Greensboro.
Whether you’re playing sports,
working out at the gym, or running around with your kids, it’s
important that you stay hydrated while you exercise. Drinking before,
during, and after the activity will help you avoid dehydration if
you’re sweating a lot. But what should you be drinking?
Sports drinks are often recommended for
periods of intense activity, but is it actually better than water at
keeping you hydrated? Let’s look at the benefits of each to help
you decide whether or not to stock up on sports drinks.
Hydrating with sports drinks
Sports drinks are good at keeping you
hydrated during exercise, primarily because water is their main
ingredient. Why they’re often marketed as more effective than water
is because they also contain sugar and electrolytes. Since sugar is a
carbohydrate, it helps to boost your body’s energy levels, which
can improve performance or stamina during exercise or sporting
events. There are different
types of sports drinks, though, some of which are lower in sugar.
Electrolytes in sports drinks help to
replenish those you lose through sweat. They typically contain
minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium – known as
electrolytes due to their electrical charge. Maintaining your
electrolyte levels helps your body to effectively regulate body
temperature and water levels to prevent you from overheating or
becoming
dehydrated during exercise.
Hydrating with water
Many
experts say that water has everything you need to stay hydrated.
Our bodies are made of 60% water and this needs to be continuously
replenished as we lose water through sweating, urination, and other
bodily processes. Plus, water has zero calories and zero sugar. This
makes it healthier for you, especially if the reason you’re
exercising is to try to lose weight. In fact, a 20 oz bottle of
Gatorade contains around 130 calories. So, if you’re guzzling one
of these before and after a workout, the calories start to add up.
The truth is that sports drinks are
likely to be beneficial for elite athletes and those taking part in
endurance events like a marathon. However, for the average person
going for a run, playing casual sports, or spending an hour at the
gym, water should be plenty.
So, a glass of
tap water is at least as effective a hydrator as sports drinks, if
not better. Or if you prefer purified or spring water, get
in touch with Mountain Park Spring Water for an affordable and
sustainable way to keep your home stocked up by using a bottled water
service. We operate around Winston Salem, NC, Martinsville, VA, and
surrounding areas.
