8 glasses of water for better performance!

Water is essential for life, and being hydrated is important for you and your family’s physical and mental performance. Your body is largely made up of water and water content in your body declines with age from about 75% in babies to 60% in adults.

Water is essential for the body and organs!

Did you know that your organs contain a high percentage of water?

The blood, kidney, muscles and lungs are made up of approximately 80% or more water. The heart, brain and liver are also made up of 71 to 75% of water. Even skin contains 64% of water while your bones are 31% water.

People generally drink enough water but for specific age groups like the elderly, or while exercising, fluid intake is quite critical.

Good hydration helps maintain physical performance

Even mild dehydration of your body can create a reduction in muscle performance and cause you to feel tired.

When exercising in a hot environment (30°C or more), a drop in water level as little as 2% of body weight (1.5 liters for an 75kg adult) can significantly reduce physical endurance and adversely affect sports performance such as dexterity and muscular strength. So, maintain your physical abilities by being hydrated enough and even more during summer times.

Good hydration helps to stay astute!

It’s without doubt that good hydration helps maintain mental performance as the brain is made up of 73% of water.

Moderate dehydration of only 1% of your body weight can alter certain cognitive functions such as concentration, visual tracking, alertness, short-term memory which can lead to a state of fatigue.

So don't wait until you are thirsty to drink. Make drinking water a regular part of your daily life as well as for your family. 

Good to know:

How do you know if you are drinking enough water?

You can make sure you are drinking enough water through the appearance of the urine. It should be light in color and have a neutral smell. This is also true for children. But remember, the color of your urine can also be affected by certain foods, vitamin supplements or medical treatments that you may be undergoing.