Our body is made up of 60% water, and is essential for every cell in our body. It is recommended that you drink at least 6-8, 8 ounce glasses of water per day which equals our to about 64 ounces of water. This seems like a reasonable goal, however most of us aren’t even coming close to reaching this goal due to various excuses we give ourselves. For the sake of both our mental and physical health, we should do our best to hydrate each and every day. Here are a few ways that water can benefit our bodies:

  1. Muscle and Joint Health: When we take the time to hydrate, the water inside and outside of the cells contracting muscles provides the proper amount of nutrients and removes waste easier so that you can perform better. Water helps lubricate our joints, which is essential for a speedier recovery post workout. When we drink an ample amount of water, it can prevent muscle cramping after a tough workout.
  2. Cardiovascular Health: Dehydration lowers our blood volume which in turn makes our heart work harder to pump the reduced amount of blood to get enough oxygen to your cells. When you are not properly hydrated you might find tasks such as walking up the stairs or a simple walk to your car at the end of the day as challenging because your heart is working a lot harder than usual.
  3. Energy Levels and Brain Function: Your brain is strongly influenced by how hydrated we are. Mild to strong dehydration in children and adults can impair mood, memory and overall brain performance. Water helps transport oxygen and nutrients critical for brain function while also providing cushioning and lubrication to the brain tissue.
  4. Perform Better: When we properly hydrate our bodies, we are able to perform at our best when it comes to working out, and even in our professional lives. When we drink more we can workout harder, and push to be our personal best professionally.

So now you know why you should stay hydrated.. but how?

There are apps that can help remind you to drink  and track you daily water intake such as “Drink Water Reminder N Tracker” or “Water tracker WaterLama.” In the virtual world that we seem to live in these days this can be convenient for some. You also could carry around a large water bottle that fits your daily water intake inside of it. This is very popular amongst our members here at CrossFit Afterburn.