When You Drink A Gallon Of Water Every Day, This Is What Happens
Proper hydration is crucial for your overall health and plays an essential role in how your body functions. Since the human body is around 60 percent water, it is important to stay hydrated so your body can perform vital functions, like regulating your body temperature and carrying oxygen to your cells (via Healthline). However, drinking an entire gallon of water a day just isn't necessary.
While everyone's hydration needs are different, most people don't need to drink a full gallon of water every day. In fact, the standard recommendation is 64 ounces of water per day, which is equivalent to half a gallon. For most people, this looks like drinking eight glasses of water a day. If and when you do start to become dehydrated, your body will let your brain know that you need to drink more water and you'll become thirsty. Drinking until your thirst is quenched should be enough to sufficiently hydrate your body. While you can certainly choose to drink a gallon of water every day if you want to, there is just no scientific evidence to suggest that drinking beyond the point of quenching your thirst is beneficial to your health.
The benefits of staying hydrated
Since water is essential to your overall health, the benefits of drinking enough water and staying hydrated are endless. In addition to regulating your body temperature and oxygenating your cells, staying hydrated can help lubricate your joints (via Insider). This is because the synovial fluid in your joints is almost entirely made up of water. The less water you drink, the less fluid there is in your joints. Not having enough fluid can cause pain and friction.
Drinking enough water can also aid digestion and prevent constipation. Adequate water intake can help flush out solid waste by softening your stools to make them easier to pass. Furthermore, drinking water can improve your skin by keeping your skin cells hydrated. When your skin is dehydrated, your skin cells shrivel and become less elastic, which can lead to wrinkles. Staying hydrated increases skin elasticity and keeps your skin looking and feeling healthy and moisturized.