Why you should drink water first thing in the morning
It's tempting to wake up and rush to make your morning cup of coffee. You need the jolt. It's part of your ritual. Water doesn't even cross your mind.
Breakfast and two cups of joe later, and suddenly it's 10:30 am...and you realize you've had NO water yet today.
It happens to the best of us. And that's what inspired our October Habit of the Month - Drink 20 ounces of water FIRST thing every morning!
Health benefits of drinking water first thing in the morning:
Our bodies are dehydrated when we wake up. Think about it: You've gone 6+ hours without water, depending on when you stopped drinking water the night before and how long you've slept. What's the most effective way to rehydrate? You guessed it - water. This lends itself to the recovery process your body just went through with your sleep, too.
Helps support digestion. The more water you drink, the more trips to the bathroom you'll make, obviously...which means you're helping your body get rid of waste and lend itself to keeping the gut microbiome healthy.
Hydration, a healthy digestive system, and getting rid of waste also means a healthier appearance of the skin - dehydration can dry out the skin (hello wrinkles and dullness), and poor gut health is also linked to acne.
Increases your energy/helps you be more alert and ready for the day. We know that dehydration means our body is depleted of something it needs, leading to more fatigue. If you're an athlete, you know how important water is for your performance for this exact reason.
This energy boost also applies to your brain. Did you know your brain is 75% water? This means dehydration can impact your brain's performance, which then hinders your ability to perform your best at work, in the gym, or any hobby you're pursuing. It can also lead to moodiness and irritability. No one wants that.
How to Implement this habit:
When it comes to habit change, we want to start adding the positive ones rather than taking things away. With this in mind, we wanted to make our first habit of focus something you can easily implement.
How do we make the 20 ounces of water in the AM a habit? Every night, make it a part of your bedtime routine along with brushing your teeth and washing your face to fill a water bottle or glass and set it on your nightstand. If it helps, you can also set a reminder on your phone along with your alarm.
This way, when you wake up, it's right there within reach, and you can grab and chug with no effort.
Sounds easy enough! Bonus points if you refill right away and continue sipping while you make coffee and breakfast.
So, how much water should you drink AFTER that first 20 ounces?
While we're on the subject of drinking water, we might as well address the common question around how much water you should drink throughout the entire day.
Your exact water needs will be different from the person next to you, but a general rule of thumb is to drink half of your bodyweight in ounces. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, you'll want to drink at least 80 ounces of water - potentially more if you are highly active and live in hot climates (extra sweat means increased need to replenish!)
This amount might sound like a lot to some - if that's you, try to increase your intake over time slowly.
If you need more flavor, you can opt for drinking sparkling water, iced tea, add flavor packets like Crystal Light packets, or low-sugar or regular Gatorade (just make sure you add this to your macros! If you're trying to maintain weight or in a fat loss phase, try to stick to drinks that won't add empty calories).
Want more tips on drinking more water? Head to our 7 Ways to Drink More Water
And make sure you're following Black Iron Nutrition on Instagram for more quick nutrition and training tips!