I am not sure if everyone had this kind of guy in high school, but I was the guy that would be carrying a massive water bottle around with me wherever I went. It got to the point where I was even asking my friends to get me large water bottles for my birthday, the biggest they could find in fact, to quench my seemingly unquenchable thirst. There have been countless times throughout high school when people would comment on, or question, my drinking habits, some even suggesting that I might have a hyperactive kidney or something. This is an article for not only these people, but also for people who are trying to motivate themselves to get in the habit of drinking more water.
The first thing that I have to say about drinking water is how it affects your energy level throughout the day, especially the morning. In the morning, you often feel lethargic, tired and just cannot wait to grab that cup of coffee to jump-start your day. Although this may work for some people, tiredness in the morning can stem in part due to dehydration as well. Keeping a small bottle of water next to you and drinking it in the morning to quench your dry throat might just be your answer. Not only does it give me the energy to get up and start my day, but water keeps me energized throughout the day as well! Many people might not know that a side-effect of mild dehydration is fatigue and tiredness, mostly as a result of low blood pressure and decreased oxygen getting to your brain and other organs.
The next thing that I have to say about drinking water is that research shows that even mild dehydration can lead to poor performance on tests that require focus, cognitive ability and attention. Of course, with all of us being college students at Brandeis, most of us have a very rigorous course load along with many extracurricular activities. It’s imperative that our brains are in tip-top shape, ready to focus on our next reading or take our next exam. In an environment where it helps to get every bit of extra advantage as you get, why not start with getting hydrated?
When you drink as much water per day as I do, which is close to around six liters, you tend to have to go to the bathroom a lot. One thing that me and some of my friends complain about with drinking too much water is having to go to the bathroom so much. While this is quite annoying, there are definitely some circumstances in which going to the bathroom is great. Imagine you’re having a conversation with one of those particularly annoying coworkers. What better excuse to leave than saying you’re about to pee your pants?
Overall, there are many, many more benefits of drinking water that I have not even touched on in this little article. Although I highlighted what I think would be most important for college students, there are many other benefits including stabilizing mood, boosting your immune system and aiding in digestion. It’s also super easy to get in the habit of! If you think you’d like to get in the habit of drinking water, do some research for yourself, see if it’s for you and start drinking up!
