Even just being slightly dehydrated—to the tune of 2%—can lead to symptoms like headaches, lightheadedness, irritability, difficulty concentrating and fatigue, Cardel confirms (andresearchverifies).
Water makes up about 60% of our body weight, and “is crucial to our body’s ability to function and thrive,” adds Molly Bremer, M.S., RD, an anti-diet dietitian with Mind Body Health in Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia.
Since it’s so impactful, the topic is an easy target for over-the-top health claims. Ever since we’ve known that hydration affects our body head to toe, there have been a lot of rumors swirling around about water’s magical powers. And lately, one of them is related to nothow muchorwhyyou should drink water, but actually thewhen. Some individuals are claiming that drinking water first thing in the morning is the magic bullet to help them level-up their health, lose weight and more. Ahead, we’ll help you sort out fact from fiction.
Here’s What Happened When I Drank More Water for 30 Days
Getty Images
The Health Benefits of Drinking Water First Thing in the Morning
Staying hydrated throughout the day is important for your overall health and well-being, so incorporating H2O early in the day can help ensure you’re hitting yourdaily water quota, Cardel confirms. Starting early allows you to space out your ounces from morning to night, and will mean you don’t have to force yourself to chug when you realize you’re parched come 4 p.m.—and haven’t drunk anything more than coffee all day. (By the way, coffee and tea do actually count toward your hydration totals!)
Keeping a water bottle on your nightstand and sipping first thing can act as a subtle reminder to approach the day with a wellness-boosting mindset. It may also help you feel more awake if you’re feeling groggy, Bremer adds. “If we pair our water with food, drinking water can help increase our energy levels, too,” she says. (Here are35 healthy breakfasts you can whip up in five minutes or lessto help you start the morning with a pep in your step.) Drinking water first thing can also help you fend off those mental-performance ripple effects of dehydration that we mentioned above.
The energy and cognitive benefits of drinking water are especially needed first thing, since you likely haven’t drunk anything for about eight hours (you are getting yourseven to nine hours per night, right?), so you’re probably waking up a bitdehydrated.
“The color of your urine can be used as an indicator of how much water your body needs. If your urine is a pale yellow, it’s likely that you’re drinking enough water; a dark yellow could be a sign that you need to amp up the water intake,” Cardel says. Take a peek at your pee before you embark on your morning routine, and be sure to drink a glass or two if your urine is looking too bright.
What Drinking Water First Thing in the MorningCan’tDo
“Unfortunately, there are many people out there who are selling products with claims that their product will help you ‘lose weight’ and ‘detox your body’ or who are trying to sell different ‘wellness’ programs, most of which are exploitative, lack evidence-based research and, in some cases, can be harmful to your health,” Bremer says.
So let’s clear up a few myths about the reportedhealth benefits of drinking waterfirst thing in the morning.
Fiction: Drinking water first thing in the morning increases feelings of fullness.
Fact: “Despite the perception that drinking water can make you feel full and therefore assist in weight loss, there’s not enough evidence to link fluid intake to increased feelings of fullness or weight loss,” Cardel clarifies.
Fiction: Drinking water in the morning helps you burn more calories.
Fact: “Availableresearchdoes not support the notion that drinking water alone can ramp up how many calories you burn,” Cardel explains. Even if water did potentially impact metabolism, timing shouldn’t make a difference, she says: “Research suggests the impact of drinking water on energy expenditure is seemingly small, but more studies are necessary before that link is confirmed.”
Why Drinking Water All Day Long Is Not the Best Way to Stay Hydrated
The Bottom Line
The timing of water intake isn’t nearly as important as making sure you’re drinking enough throughout the day, Bremer says. Try to sip early and often and aim to integrate little cues to remind you to hydrate—like trying these five dietitian-approved ideas for how to stay hydrated.
“Research shows that repeating a small, health-promoting behavior of your choosing, like drinking water, in response to a single daily cue leads to increased automaticity, or the sense that a behavior has become automatic,” Cardel says. Whether that cue is waking up, walking your dog, eating meals and snacks, or something else of your choosing shouldn’t make too much of a difference.
And keep in mind that you can overdo it: “Balance remains one of the most important tenets of proper nutrition. With too little water intake, you’re at risk for dehydration; with too much water intake, you can become hyponatremic and have extremely low sodium in your blood,” Bremer says. “I recommend checking hydration status through urine color comparisons, taking note of temperature shifts in your body and just generally listening to your body’s wants and needs as closely as you can.”
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
