One of the most controversial questions when it comes to health and fitness is “How much water do I need to drink?”. Much debate is going on as some say daily drinking of 8-10 glasses of water is enough, while others argue that letting your thirst dictate your daily water intake is the way to go. Different theories, different point of views, but they all agree upon one thing; water is good for you.
I've had my own experiments with water intake to see what works best for me. My experiments went from over-hydrating myself with water, to only drinking water when feeling thirsty. I must say that I have learned quite a lot from such experiments. It’s been already established that water is great for you, but the trick here is to know how to take advantage of your body’s ability to uptake water.
I believe that the ideal time for drinking large quantities of water is right after waking up in the morning. Logically speaking, our internal organs are begging for water after a long night where they had to metabolize large quantities of water to perform their overnight tasks. Therefore, it is very important to drink at least 1-2 large glasses of water upon waking on an empty stomach to rehydrate those hard-working organs.
After the daily morning rehydration, I have noticed that drinking water when my body asks for it works best for me. Of course, the timing and situation have to be kept in mind. For example, it is a faulty assumption to drink lots of water during a meal. Drinking water with meals will dilute you valuable digestive enzymes and thus will impede the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. On the other hand, it is absolutely fine to drink limited quantities of water 10-20 minutes prior to having a meal. As some would argue, it would curb your appetite.
Similarly, drinking lots of water during a workout is not exactly the best idea, even when your body is begging you to gulp down that 1.5L bottle. Having large quantities of water during a workout will create more stress on your body by diverting the blood flow to your stomach. For that reason, water should be “sipped” during a workout (i.e. small quantities). However, it is absolutely essential to rehydrate your body after a workout to make up for all the dehydration which was caused by sweating during the workout.
Water intake at night could actually be the opposite of beneficial. Drinking large quantities before bed will most likely cause you to wake up multiple times to go to the bathroom. Disrupting sleep will not only cause you to wake up tired and foggy, but will also interrupt the muscle recovery process and hinder the development of your hard-earned muscles. I usually keep a glassful of water bedside in case I’m desperate for it during my sleep and right after waking up.
In conclusion, drink like a king in the morning, and sip as the day progresses. Try it, it might also work for you!
Posted in: 
