Especially after 40
Drinking water was always a task. I’m unsure of my formative years but after I got pregnant the first time, I began to avoid drinking water regularly because I had to answer Mother Nature’s call every half an hour. Laziness got the better of me and I continued to barely drink water even after my second delivery. Yes, it was a pain to answer Mother Nature’s calling everywhere I went, especially during road trips.
For example, this February, after enjoying some juicy watermelon, I drove to visit some friends. On the way there I suddenly needed to visit the restroom. But, I got stuck in such a bad traffic jam that I had a good mind to leave my car in the middle of the road and visit the loo at a nearby restaurant. I didn’t though. Instead, I somehow reached the closest mall and ran to relieve myself after the rigmarole of finding a parking spot. Seriously! Is everyone spending time in malls on weekdays? Who goes to work then? Why are the roads jammed with traffic during working hours if everyone is at the mall? Anyway, it wasn’t water but the watermelon that forced me to run to the restroom a few times that day.
And I’ve always lived in places with dry weather conditions like Kuwait and Bangalore. Dry weather does not make you thirsty enough to want to drink water. So, because of my bladder not having the power to bottle up and the weather around me, I would avoid drinking water. I would also forget that water was required for my mere existence.
Then, at the beginning of March this year, three months after I celebrated my 40th birthday on the beach, I began experiencing mild headaches. I assumed age was catching up. A week later, I began feeling light-headed, too. I would look at something, like the ceiling, and I could see it move. This was when I became determined to find the root cause of my sudden discomfort. Imagining my pressure was low despite my healthy eating habits and regular physical activity, I got it checked only to find that it was normal (always a little lower than 120/80). Through all this, I would still drive my kids to and from school every single day.
Suddenly, a bulb came on and I recalled people telling me to hydrate myself due to the heat waves in Bangalore. I had dismissed them then because according to me I was drinking enough water. But then, the moving ceiling did not stop and I started to panic.
Before I suddenly lost control and rammed into one of the fields between school and home, I decided to try drinking more water every day. I made it a point to drink water as soon as I woke up, before I went to bed, whenever I went into the kitchen and after my walks. I would also drink water whenever I spotted a water bottle in the house. A few days later, I started feeling better. My headaches vanished and I could see objects how they were meant to be; stationary. I also found myself feeling more energetic.
Water helps improve brain performance. Even mild dehydration can affect memory capacity, moods, concentration ability and reaction time.
Water helps regulate our body temperature (this one is new to me).
Water moistens the tissues in our eyes, nose and mouth.
Water protects our body organs and other sensitive tissues.
Water helps lubricate joints thereby reducing joint pains.
Water carries nutrients and oxygen to cells all over the body and we feel more energetic.
Water lessens the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste through urination, perspiration and bowel movements. Read more here.
The amount of water one needs to drink to maintain good health depends on physical activity, age, illnesses, other health-related issues and environmental conditions.
So, after this painful experience, I’ve learnt that laziness will get you nowhere while water will make most of your aches and pains go away. In short, drinking water is very important for our health. However healthy your diet is, you should combine it with sufficient water intake.
Therefore, I will suggest that you spread the news and insist that your loved ones drink water regularly, however cliché it may sound. My mom has an hourly reminder (on the mobile) to drink water. Our health is most important than anything else in this world. As for me, I have a lot of water to put into my system to make up for my almost-40-year-water-fast. I’m thinking, perhaps I have survived for so long because of the fruits and vegetables I consume regularly?
What are your thoughts?
Photo by Arnie Watkins
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Monidipa Dutta.
43 Comments
I drink tonsss of water, and I’m glad you’ve started doing it too.
Thanks Cindy for eyeopener article on water intake. We all know how important water is, even though we don’t take care of this.
Loved this article of yours.
Thanks, Anamica!! Thanks for stopping by!
It’s very important to know how much water intake is necessary for a proper functioning of the body. Recently there was also news of death by excessive water intake.
Seriously? Yikes!!!
I know what you mean, suffered a similar incident when my migraine didn’t subside for 72 hours despite the medication and inhalation. It was due to dehydration and acidity in the stomach. Water is life and we must include it to stay healthy. With this note, I am heading to take a sip.
I’m drinking as much as I can too, Dipika! HAve to!
40’s is not so old & not so young time and I am part of this tribe too 🙂 … Self-care is important & it starts with the simplest task of drinking the right amount of water throughout the day. No matter which diet regime you are following, H2O is part of every one of them.
True, Jhilmil. But when aches and pains come, we are ever ready to blame it on age, aren’t we?
Hey, fantastic wake-up call about water intake after 40! Your message is clear and crucial. Staying hydrated is vital, and your friendly reminder and insights are spot on. Keep spreading the importance of good habits! 💧👍
Yes maintaining a good level of hydration is one of the most important aspect of healthy lifestyle but unfortunately many people tend to forget it. thanks for reminding us this important thing. I will recheck and ensure that my all family members are maintaining good level of hydration or not.
I am so happy that you shared this, as there are so many people who don’t intake sufficient water as required even in my family. I will share this with my friends and family as a reminder.
Thanks for the reminder Cindy. Simple things like drinking enough water can become challenging too. I don’t like the taste of plain water. So I squeeze a wedge of lemon to make it more palatable .
Oh no! But I always drink water though it is an inconvenience especially at night or during long road trips. There are so many health problems associated with not drinking enough water, especially kidney stones. I have seen a close relative scream in pain when he had the stone. From then on I started drinking water 🙂 Glad you wrote on this topic.
Thanks, Shalini.
I have been told this a million times and yet I am a poor drinker of water myself. I must change this habit…the sooner the better. Thanks for highlighting the imp of water after 40.
You’re welcome, and please drink water, Janaki.
Thank you for this post. Even I have taken drinking water so lightly. The fact that it helps all the organs including eyes was a new learning. I should catch up with drinking water before it is too late.
Yes, Sivaranjini, please do.
Oh yes drinking water is must. Half of the health problems can be avoided if people keep themselves hydrated . I also live in Bangalore and the climate here does not make you feel thirsty, but I make it a point to drink water every hour.
I relate to those bladder calls but that has never stopped me from drinking more and more water. I often joke about it saying water doesn’t give you a glowing skin but a lot of time in the washroom. I always try to keep a water bottle with me so that I don’t miss drinking water for long hours
Good idea, Aastha!
I think the standard amt of water is 8-10 glasses per day though this may vary sometimes. Set alarm on your smartwatch or phone that will alert you to drinking water. On the bladder bit, I think peesafe has some options that you can use in car in case of an emergency….do check out their site.
Yup, now I know all this. All these years peesafe wasn’t known to me.
Water intake is important and I’m glad that atleast on this front I was never lagging. Dry weather and an active lifestyle makes it crucial to keep your hydration levels up to avoid any serious health problems.
True, Varsha!
You have raised a good topic to share. I see many youngsters reaching out for sodas or juice but wont drink water.Living in Blazewada all my life, I am into the habit of drinking lots of water everyday. I drink 2-3 glasses of warm jeera water in the morning and have jugful beside me through the day. Dehydration can make you lightheaded. I have been through it a number of times. Please try Kegels exercises for holding ur bladder. They really help.
Will do, thanks, Harjeet!
I drink like a fish (limited to water) unless I am going out. For the same reason that there are barely any decent loos. Because of GERD, I need to make sure I don’t allow acid build-up. And water is a great way to avoid that.
Oh. Take care, Ritu!
People don’t realize how important water is, especially at my age. I always drink water before leaving the house in summer and also have a glass of water on my bedside.
I should learn from you, Madhu!
Ur right drinking water is very important, sometimes I feel like a camel storing water or a cactus plant. Finally I downloaded water drinking reminder app. It gives you notification each time you need to load water into ur system 🤣.
Seriously??? WhatsApping you right now, babe!
I can understand your problem and although in her almost 70 my mother in law is having this problem and yes its true she drinks less water and that too in bad times with food. Its difficult to change her bad habits as daughter in law cant be right. So taking her out anywhere is a nightmare for us. Before leaving she needs to urinate, on the way she need to urinate frequently… sometimes i doubt is it nature call or her mental call. Thankfully I am out of such bad habit and take enough water so such problems dont arise.Your post is like an alert to many such women and men too who neglect the demand of water for body depending on climate of the place. Thank you so much for this brilliant piece of content.
Appreciate it, Samata!
I so relate to those bladder calls. I always need to use the loo after every hour. Though, I tend to avoid drinking during trips and going out. However, at home most of these days, I tend to drink a lot. And yes, you are right, we don’t realise how it helps us, but it starts to show the good effects after regular intake. I always have two glasses after waking up and then it continues the day through. Though, I must say, water has made me realise how bad the public loos in India are.
HAhahahaha… yeah that was another reason!!! Disgustingly dirty loos.
A small bladder can be a big challenge when you want to stay hydrated and are away from your home. I have heard people tell me they don’t like the taste of plain water and hence can’t drink much. I advise them to drink fruit or mint-infused water to motivate themselves to drink, or fill their daily quota in water bottles and carry it along to finish.
Good idea, Preeti!
Even I forget to drink water but of late I am conscious and mindful about it. The other day I was consulting a Doctor for something and she asked me to drink 3 litres of water everyday n when I told her that I dont even drink 3 glasses, she was shocked. Well, we dont need to drink a lot of water but only as much as our body needs and enough to not dehydrate ourselves. I guess our bodies give signals like you got if it’s less. Even I used to get those headaches but in my case, thankfully, I was told by a friend that it could be dehydration.
True, Kaveri!
Great realization, Cindy! It’s incredible how something as simple as drinking enough water can have such a significant impact on our well-being. We often underestimate the impact of dehydration on our bodies and minds. This post is a great reminder that the simple act of chugging down more H2O can wave goodbye to headaches, amp up brainpower, and unleash a supercharged version of ourselves 😊.