Water makes up for the majority of the body weight. It is required to keep the body hydrated and help with several other body functions. While it is important to keep drinking water at regular intervals throughout the day, drinking water on an empty stomach confers several significant benefits. Before jumping right into understanding these benefits, let us first understand what is water therapy.
What is Water Therapy?
Drinking water immediately after waking up is coined as water therapy. The therapy originated in Japan. Its promising results make it a widely accepted therapy worldwide. Here’s a quick look into what steps you must take to carry out water therapy:
- Immediately after waking up in the morning and before brushing, drink about a litre of water on an empty stomach.
- The water must be at room temperature or slightly lukewarm. Avoid drinking cold water.
- Do not eat or drink anything for at least 45 minutes after drinking water.
- After 45 minutes, eat your breakfast. Do not drink water with your breakfast.
- After two hours of eating breakfast, drink a litre of water again.
Benefits of Drinking Water on an Empty Stomach
Research suggests that drinking water while being on an empty stomach has manifold benefits. Some of them have been listed below:
1. Activates Bowel Movement and Helps Detox
Drinking water on an empty stomach helps in cleansing the bowel. The gush of water first thing in the morning creates an urge to defecate. After defecation, the body feels light and ready for the day ahead. Drinking water on an empty stomach also helps clear the digestive tract of all the waste and toxins. High water intake also increases urination. This helps detox the body and cleanse the internal system.
2. Helps Prevent Headaches and Migraine Attacks
Lack of adequate water intake or not drinking water at regular intervals can spur headaches and serious migraine attacks. Heachaches usually trigger when the brain tissue shrinks due to dehydration. Drinking water on an empty stomach hydrates the brain tissue well. Research suggests that starting your day with water keeps the brain tissue supple, preventing headaches and migraine attacks.
3. Eliminates Bad Mouth Odour
Rinsing your mouth with a glass of freshwater in the morning and consuming water on an empty stomach help eliminate 60% of the mouth’s bacteria which is responsible for bad breath and mouth odour. Adequate water intake also helps produce more saliva which in turn reduces bad breath.
4. Improves Metabolism and Aids in Weight Loss
Drinking water on an empty stomach boosts metabolism by almost 30%. As the metabolic rate increases, the food gets digested more quickly. This means that the body can burn more calories when resting. This increases fat burning, leading to weight loss. Furthermore, water has no calories but it fills up the stomach, leading to reduced appetite. A fewer intake of calories directly leads to better weight management and quicker weight loss.
5. Improves Skin Quality
The benefits of drinking water for skin are well-pronounced. Dehydration directly affects the skin. It increases the risk of fine lines, wrinkles and dry, stretched skin. Dehydration thus leads to premature ageing. But consuming water on an empty stomach promotes blood circulation and regulates blood flow. It hydrates and nourishes the skin, improving its quality and texture.
6. Improves Hair Quality
The importance of drinking water can be seen in healthy and shiny hair. Water makes up 25% of the hair’s volume. It also affects its quality and texture. Therefore, inadequate intake of water makes the strands brittle and weak, leading to excessive hair fall. Drinking water on an empty stomach increases blood circulation in the body. This results in more nutrients being delivered to the hair follicles, improving the hair quality.
7. Reduces Stomach Acidity and Kidney Stones
As mentioned above, drinking water on an empty stomach helps flush out toxic waste from the body. This reduces the risk of developing kidney stones. Furthermore, heartburn, ingestion, and stomach acidity are caused by acid reflux in the oesophagus. Drinking water on an empty stomach pushes the stomach juices down and dilutes them. This reduces stomach acidity and lowers the risk of developing stomach ulcers.
8. Boosts Immunity
Drinking water on an empty stomach helps eliminate infections and thwart their spread as it aids in flushing out toxins. This in turn strengthens the immune system and protects the body from various kinds of infections. Moreover, adequate water helps maintain healthy mucous membranes which act as barriers against foreign invaders. Staying hydrated therefore helps boost the body’s immunity naturally.
9. Helps Lower Blood Pressure
A high intake of water acts as a natural blood thinner, allowing smooth flow through the blood vessels. This reduces pressure on the heart, lowering blood pressure. Moreover, reduced water intake or dehydration activates the kidneys to hold back water, affecting the frequency and quantity of urination. This increases vasopressin secretion which leads to higher blood pressure. Drinking water on an empty stomach gives a perfect start to all the organs.
10. Helps Activate Muscles
The body’s muscles are at the resting stage during sleep. Eating food first thing in the morning startles the muscles. On the other hand, drinking water on an empty stomach aids in the process of peristalsis, the contraction and relaxation of muscles. This activates the muscles and prepares them for better movement.
Correct Way to Drink Water
To reap the best results, here’s the correct way to drink water:
- Fill up a glass with water and sip it slowly. Drinking water slowly allows it to stay in the mouth for a little longer. On swallowing every sip, the water takes along the alkaline saliva into the stomach. This helps neutralise stomach acid levels.
- How much water should we drink is important. Watch your water intake. Make sure that drinking water on an empty stomach does not flood your stomach. One litre of water is the maximum one must consume in one go. Too much water will dilute the digestive juices, affecting the process of digestion.
- The water you drink must be at room temperature or slightly lukewarm. Drinking water that is too hot or too cold increases the stress on the senses, sending the body into a state of shock.
Conclusion
We all know about the importance of drinking water but the timing can make all the difference. While drinking water throughout the day helps keep the body hydrated, drinking water on an empty stomach has far-reaching advantages. The primary purpose of drinking water on an empty stomach is to cleanse the gut. But while doing so it also eliminates all the toxins and disease-causing microbes from the body. This helps improve immunity. Unlike food, starting your day with water supports proper contraction and relaxation of muscles. This makes you feel energetic throughout the day.
However, it is also important to remember that overhydration can harm digestion and cause electrolyte imbalance. Excessively high water intake also increases pressure on kidneys and other body organs. In addition to timing and quantity, the temperature of the water is also important. To avoid side effects, drink water at room temperature.
