LONDON, 09 Jan. - (ANA) - If you struggle to get out of bed at the best of times, you may find it even trickier at this time of year.

 

Not only does the lack of sunlight disrupt your circadian rhythm and mess with your sleeping patterns, but the prospect of leaving your cosy duvet to be hit with a wall of cold air is hardly appealing.

 

And perhaps you also find that this drowsiness and lack of energy follow you into the day?

 

Well, there may be a very simple – and very cheap – solution to your woes: drinking water first thing in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A 2020 study showed that drinking H20 in the morning can help improve your mood. Not only were those with restricted water intake more irritable, but those with a higher intake experienced less fatigue.

 

 

 

 

Going hand-in-hand with improved mood, drinking water can also enhance your mental performance throughout the day, which makes sense, given water accounts for 75% of our brain mass.

 

Even mild dehydration can have a negative impact. As a 2019 study found, dehydration not only negatively impacts attention and concentration but also impedes short-term memory.

 

 

 

 

Another study has also linked water consumption with weight loss. However, there is limited research, and, as a 2022 article highlights, it may be because drinking water before a meal gives the sense of fullness, which in turn may curb one's appetite and prompt them to eat less.

 

 

 

 

There's some evidence to suggest that drinking water can help boost your skin and give it a nice, healthy glow.

 

For example, this study from 2007 suggests that drinking 500ml of water increases the blood flow in the skin. That said, in this particular case, the effects wore off after 30 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Through helping the kidneys and liver to excrete waste, water is key for flushing the body of harmful toxins.

 

Too little water and excessive waste can accumulate, which, over time, can increase the risk of kidney damage and kidney stones.

 

According to the NHS, adults should drink 6 to 8 cups of water/fluid every day.

 

 

 

 

Drinking water can help soften your poo and reduce the risk of constipation, along with fibre intake. The NHS recommends drinking a glass of water with every meal to aid digestion.

 

 

 

 

Even mild dehydration can trigger headaches and migraines, and increasing water consumption can help alleviate these symptoms.

 

This clinical study, for example, found that the severity of pain, frequency and duration of headaches in those who drank more water were significantly lower than those who drank less.

 

 

 

 

There is such a thing as too much water, though.

 

It can potentially dilute the sodium levels in our blood, which can create swelling of the brain and lungs. Though rare, there have even been fatalities caused by overhydration in athletes, when it has prompted water intoxication.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/09 January 2026 - - -