Water helps keep you hydrated, which is important because every single cell in your body needs it in order to absorb nutrients and expel waste products. But what are some of the less well known benefits of drinking water?

1. Drinking Water Is Good For Your Skin

Water naturally moisturizes skin and ensures proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin to give it a healthy, glowing appearance. If you don’t drink enough water, you’ll suffer from dry skin, and you’ll be likely to use more creams and lotions to moisturize which will only relieve the dryness temporarily.

2. Drinking Water Helps You Lose Weight

One of the benefits of drinking water is that it helps you lose weight as water suppresses your appetite, so you don’t eat as much.  Drinking plenty of water also prevents fluid retention, because your body won’t try to retain water if it’s getting enough. Drinking water also helps your body burn stored fat. If you’re not drinking enough water, your liver will be forced to help your kidneys detoxify your body. When you drink plenty of water, your kidneys don’t need any extra help, so your liver will be able to metabolize stored fat more efficiently.

3. Drinking Water Helps You Build Muscle

Another benefit of drinking water is that it makes your muscles stronger. That’s because water carries oxygen to the cells of your body, including those of your muscles. Drinking plenty of water enables your muscles to work harder and longer before they feel tired thereby allowing for better muscle building.

4. Drinking Water Makes You Smarter

Drinking water can increase your cognitive function. Your brain needs a lot of oxygen in order to function at optimum levels. Drinking plenty of water ensures that your brain gets all the oxygen it needs. Drinking eight to ten cups of water per day can improve your levels of cognitive performance by as much as 30%! Do be careful though, to not drink too much water, as this can be damaging.

5. Drinking Water Can Prevent and Alleviate Headaches

A little known fact is that one of the main causes of the ‘tension’ headache is due to not drinking enough water. If you are prone to headaches – especially due to stress or being in a hot environment – make sure that you are drinking sufficient water. A good indicator is usually the colour of your urine. Urine darker than a pale yellow means that you are dehydrated.