Most people think that drinking water is only a necessity to slake your thirst and maybe to produce urine in order to get rid of toxins in your body, but there are much more reasons to drink water regularly.
Drinking water regularly, as in a few glasses a day, is the only way that the human body can survive and function optimally. Drinking water is not just a source; it is the main source of energy for your body. If you have been feeling tired and out of sorts lately it may be due to the fact that you have not been drinking sufficient water and are dehydrated.
By the time one feels thirst the body is already 2% dehydrated, and from there it is a slippery downhill slope to complete dehydration unless one drinks water to bring the fluid levels in your body up to the necessary 70%.
A mere 2% dehydration will result in a dry mouth and the drying up of mucous membranes; at this stage the brain sends a message to the rest of your body that water resources are getting low and it will begin pulling water from all “non-essential†sources in order to keep the most essential organs such as the heart and brain working optimally.
Dehydration is a serious problem, especially for the elderly; because children are very active they feel thirsty quite quickly and will look for something to drink, but as we get older our body becomes less and less aware of the sensation of thirst, until by the age of around 70 we hardly notice it at all. This is why the elderly can so easily get dehydrated without anyone noticing.
Dehydration can cause your blood to thicken, which means that your heart needs to work harder in order to transport necessary oxygen and nutrients throughout the body; it is the lack of oxygen and nutrients that makes you feel tired. Your brain, which is around 90% water also cannot function properly when dehydrated, so make sure that you drink water regularly throughout the day.
