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Drinking water in the morning: Five health benefits

May 15, 2021
Drinking water in the morning: Five health benefits

Water is important for a variety of bodily functions. These functions include delivering nutrients to cells, maintaining body temperature, and lubricating joints.

If a person substitutes their morning beverage with water, they can reap many health benefits associated with increased water consumption.

This article looks at what these advantages could be and how much scientific support there is for each one.

It will also go into various ways to flavour water and whether or not drinking water poses any risks.

Boosting mood

A lady drinking water first thing in the morning

Water can also have a calming effect on a person’s mood.

People who drank little water before had better moods when they raised their water consumption, according to a 2014 survey.

Individuals who usually drank large amounts of water reported increased hunger, decreased contentedness, and a decline in calmness and positive emotions when their water consumption was reduced, according to the same study.

Dehydration also had a detrimental effect on mood, according to a 2019 report, while rehydration improved mood and fatigue symptoms.

With this in mind, a person may wish to drink water during the day to reap the benefits of long-term positive mood effects.

For health skin

Some people claim that increasing their fluid intake can enhance their skin’s appearance and health.

Around 30% of the skin is made up of Trusted Source water, which keeps the skin plump and improves its elasticity and durability.

Increased water intake may have a positive effect on skin physiology, according to a 2015 study, which found that it appeared more hydrated, particularly in participants who normally drank less water.

According to a 2018 study, increasing water intake will help the skin’s outer layer stay hydrated. The researchers cautioned, however, that it was uncertain if this would help older people.

Even adequate skin hydration, however, may not be enough to avoid wrinkles or mitigate the effects of the sun, genetics, or the climate.

Drinking water during the day may thus help hydrate a person’s skin, but they may not note any noticeable changes in its appearance.

Help lose weight

Some people claim that drinking water first thing in the morning will help them lose weight.

For example, a 2019 study discovered a correlation between increased fluid intake and improved body composition in young adults.

Before main meals, including breakfast

Over the course of 12 weeks, middle-aged and older adults who consumed 500 millilitres (ml) of water before each meal lost more weight, according to a 2010 report.

The decline in energy intake from meals among the participants who drank water was partly due to the weight loss, according to the researchers. This means they ate less calories than those who did not drink water before meals.

Thermogenesis

The generation of heat is known as thermogenesis. Thermogenesis happens when a person drinks cold water, which warms the water entering the body and burns calories.

An older research from 2013 looked at the water consumption of 50 girls with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 who also ate a healthy diet. It was discovered that after raising their water consumption to 500 ml three times a day for eight weeks, their body weight had decreased. The water was consumed before breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The weight loss was due to water-induced thermogenesis, according to the researchers.

However, these findings cannot conclusively state that weight loss was due solely to increased water intake.

Furthermore, the findings do not necessarily imply that drinking water first thing in the morning leads to weight loss.

Improve emotional competence

According to a 2016 study, water has an impact on cognition and mental performance. Even minor dehydration can have negative effects on cognition.

The impact of hydration on cognitive performance was studied in a study published in 2019. It was discovered that hydrated study participants had better mental results. The findings, however, were not statistically important, according to the researchers.

In addition, study participants drank water during the day. This suggests that hydration during the day, rather than just in the morning, may be important for improved mental results.

Dehydration has detrimental effects on short-term memory and attention in a 2019 study of male college students. When the participants were rehydrated, their short-term memory and attention improved.

As a result, if anyone wants to improve their mental performance, particularly in the morning, drinking water can be beneficial.

Additional body functions

Drinking enough water is also essential for a variety of bodily functions.

  • Kidneys: Water may assist the kidneys in removing waste from the body.
  • Urinary tract: Increased fluid intake, according to a 2010 report, can help to prevent urolithiasis, which occurs when stones form in the urinary tract.
  • Cardiovascular system: According to a 2019 report, adequate water intake is needed for proper cardiovascular system function. Dehydration and insufficient water intake had a negative impact on blood pressure control and vascular function, according to the report.
  • Joints and bones: Water is a part of the lubricating fluid that surrounds joints, and it may aid in the relief of joint pain.

Find out how much water a person can drink on a daily basis.

Risk factors

The following are some of the possible dangers of drinking water first thing in the morning:

  • Drinking excessively: Water toxicity can occur if a person drinks too much water. This can cause confusion, nausea, and vomiting, as well as other detrimental effects on brain function.
  • Only drinking in the morning: If a person just drinks water in the morning, there’s a chance they’re not getting enough water, which can lead to dehydration. Dehydration can make you feel irritable and make it difficult to think clearly.
  • Drinking flavoured water: A person’s daily water consumption can also be too heavily reliant on sugared beverages. Flavored water and sweetened drinks, for example, have more calories than plain water. People who drink more plain water were more likely to lose weight and eat less calories, according to a 2016 survey. Individuals may, however, drink flavoured water or sparkling water with fruit or herb infusions.

Conclusion

Drinking water first thing in the morning can have some health benefits, particularly if it replaces another morning beverage.

Many of the advantages of drinking water are not limited to drinking it first thing in the morning. It is important to remain hydrated during the day in order to maintain normal bodily functions and avoid dehydration.

Flavored water options can be helpful for people who find it difficult to drink enough water. With regular use, the additional ingredients can provide additional health benefits.

Sources

Last updated on May 15, 2021