By Brett Mundinger
The hottest I’ve ever been was in San Antonio, Texas at Lackland Air Force Base in 2010. It was mid-July in Texas, and my 19-year-old self had just stepped off the bus the previous evening for my first week of Air Force Basic Training. It was the first time I’d experienced Texas in summer, and the 8 and a half weeks of training would feature daily highs in the 90s and 100s, pre-sunrise physical training, marching (everywhere) as the preferred method of travel, and a myriad of courses on asphalt. Depending upon what part of the states you live in, you likely staunchly support one side of the wet heat versus dry heat argument, but I truly don’t think it matters. Heat is heat, and you should be prepared to sweat, even here in the Midwest.
The military taught me one of the best strategies for handling heat was to drink copious amounts of water throughout the day- far beyond what I was used to drinking. If one is to sweat on Uncle Sam’s schedule, you best believe there’s a studied, regimented method on how to do so!
So, I learned to drink up and picked up lots of tips and education on the science behind proper hydration along the way. Today, I’m going to share that knowledge with you and also challenge you to drink – prepare to gasp – a gallon of water per day!
Does that sound crazy? It’s really not, and it’s actually much easier than you think. Here are some big-impact, scientifically-backed reasons for doing so, plus some tips on how to best tackle THE GALLON CHALLENGE ™.
Temperature adaptation, energy levels, and brain function
First and foremost, copious hydration helps properly regulate body temperature, and sweating helps us cool down in high heat situations. Not having enough water to sweat properly can increase risks of overheating and make you feel fatigued or non-motivated in the summer heat. Good hydration also enables harder physical workouts, but what if I were to tell you that you’re actually handicapping your brain by being dehydrated?
Concentration, mood, perceived energy, and feelings of anxiety have all been shown to be negatively impacted when the body is even mildly dehydrated to a degree as small as -1.4-1.6% (depending upon biological gender). A 1% hydration loss has been shown in studies to produce a 5% reduction in cognitive ability. This amount of hydration loss is not only possible but can also happen as a result of normal activities throughout the day. Studies have proven cognitive reductions across all ages and sexes during dehydrated states, something potentially even more dangerous for elderly populations.
Joint and back soreness
Your body is made up of 60% water, and your muscles alone are 80% H2O, so it’s no real shocker that not having enough can produce radical changes within the body. Proper hydration lubricates joints and ensures that cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and muscles all have better pliability and flexibility. These benefits are also inclusive of the back as disks between vertebrae rely on proper hydration in between them to take pressure off your spinal column. While dehydration is definitely not the only cause of back pain, a dehydrated body only exacerbates existing problems as more impact is taken with less protection.
Sleep and digestion
Circadian rhythms, the natural sleep and wake cycles of our body, have been demonstrated to be thrown off by even slight dehydration prior to and during sleep. Scientists have likewise observed that individuals with acute sleep quality issues also face a compounding problem when dehydrated. Digestion, an activity that is also highly impacted by proper sleep, is further dependent upon proper amounts of water being present. In periods of low water availability, the colon steals whatever water it can from digested food and drinks you consume, and constipation can follow as digested foods become hard to pass.
Longevity and all-cause mortality
There are a myriad of other hydration benefits like better skin and reduced bloating I could mention, but perhaps the most important emergent scientific finding is that proper hydration may be a vital key to the prevention of accelerated age-related disease and premature mortality. According to a thirty-year longevity study of over 11,000 adults by The National Institute of Health, adults who are continuously well-hydrated (based upon low serum sodium levels- a proxy measure of hydration) appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions such as heart and lung disease, and live longer compared those who don’t get sufficient fluids. Adults with worse hydration habits were also shown to be more likely to die at younger ages.
While there’s convincing science all around, the truth of the matter is that you’ll just feel better making a hydration adjustment in your life, and a gallon is a solid, universal goal for most people to aim for. Convinced to give The Gallon Challenge a try? Here are my best tips for making it an easy part of your daily routine:
- Sip, don’t chug. The stomach best takes in water in sips and has difficulty effectively processing large amounts of water all at once. You’ll more effectively hydrate if you take your time throughout the day.
- Set a goal to drink three ounces per sip. There are 128 ounces in a gallon, so that’s 42 sips per day to hit your goal. For the average 12-hour waking day, that’s about 3-4 sips per hour
- Carry around a plastic gallon of water the first week. Graduate from that plastic container after your new drinking volume becomes a habit. Needing to repeatedly fill a water bottle will make achieving your goal much harder, so having all the water for your day in one place keeps you honest.
A quick note about the bladder…
Yes, you’ll be making more pit stops the first few days of your new routine. As with any new routine, it may be uncomfortable for a few days until your body adjusts. I promise your body will get used to your new hydration schedule, however, and that you won’t be taking bathroom breaks every ten minutes. Things will, in fact, return to a more reasonable schedule. One reason you have to go more often at the front end of a new hydration habit is because your body is flushing excess water it stored during your previous period of dehydration. Likewise, your bladder is not used to the influx of water and will need time to adjust. Our bodies are built to adapt to non-ideal conditions like water scarcity, and while it’s not optimal for health, the body is extremely adept at fluid retention. When water is freely available, our body is able to flush excess stored water and sodium.
Closing thoughts
We spend lots of money and time on other health routines that promise fast, rapid results, but proper hydration may be one of the most overlooked, underemphasized, and accessible quick fixes to everyday health issues. The gallon challenge may feel daunting, but as the old saying goes, the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Apologies to elephants for that saying, but similar logic holds true with throwing back 16 cups of water a day. Your new routine will eventually become second nature if you keep up with it. If you do, I hope this new habit has you feeling, looking, and being your best.
Good luck and good health!
This weekly Sponsored Column is written by Fountain Mortgage. Located in Prairie Village, Fountain Mortgage is dedicated to educating, and thus empowering, clients to make the best financial decision possible for their situation.
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