Fun fact about me: I have rarely been a water drinker. Throughout an entire day, I typically consume no more than half a cup of water. Strangely enough, I never feel particularly thirsty or experience dehydration. #thethirstisnotreal
For the past 26 years, I have lived this way, believing that it was simply how my body functioned. However, lately, I have been facing some health issues, and someone close to me pointed out the importance of drinking water.
Here are some of the symptoms I’ve been experiencing:
– Dry and chapped lips
– Constant reliance on lip balm
– Persistent fatigue, struggling to complete tasks without feeling tired, even after getting 15 hours of sleep
– Day-long grogginess
– Difficulty focusing and decreased ability to multitask effectively
– Intense headaches (I already experience migraines and rely on medication for them about 80% of the time). However, this recent headache felt different, like an overwhelming force I had never encountered before. Although it eventually subsided, it lingered mildly for about three days, causing genuine concern that I might have experienced a minor stroke, which I later learned can happen due to severe dehydration.
– Persistent dryness in my eyes, despite using eye drops. It has become so severe that my “daily” contact lenses dry out within six hours of wearing them, necessitating the use of two pairs per day.
This person convinced me that drinking enough water could alleviate these symptoms or, at the very least, provide numerous other benefits I may not have considered. So, I decided to give it a try, thinking to myself, “It’s not a bad idea, and their argument is quite convincing.”
Day 1 (Wednesday 7/27/2016)
9:00 A.M. – Despite setting multiple alarms and having my boyfriend call to wake me up, I couldn’t get up on time (7:30 A.M.). I feel groggy and lethargic, with chapped lips. Honestly, I feel awful.
4:39 P.M. – Finally finished one bottle (16.9FL oz.) of water.
11:35 P.M. – Not in the mood for plain water, so I steeped a Trader Joe’s Jasmine Green Tea bag in another bottle (16.9FL oz.) of water. I only managed to drink half of it before feeling too lazy and going to sleep.
TOTAL WATER CONSUMED: 1 1/2 Bottles (25.35FL oz.)
Day 2 (Thursday 7/28/2016)
7:35 A.M. – Woke up five minutes late today, aided by my boyfriend’s call and two alarms. I feel okay, a bit sluggish. I would love to stay in bed a bit longer, but I have to go to work. My lips are only half as chapped as yesterday, and I feel 50 times better than before.
11:48 A.M. – Finished one bottle (16.9FL oz.) of water. Proud of myself for finishing a full bottle before noon.
4:57 P.M. – Consumed a Grande Iced Starbucks Strawberry Acai with Coconut Milk (16FL oz.). I’m not full, but I also don’t feel hungry. Definitely feel hydrated.
TOTAL WATER CONSUMED: 2 Bottles (32.9FL oz.)
Day 3 (Friday 7/29/2016)
9:10 A.M. – Felt dehydrated, so I drank a Vita Coco 100% Coconut Water drink (11.1FL oz.).
2:29 P.M. – My eyes feel less dry. Haven’t used eye drops in the past three days. My facial skin feels great, more moisturized and less dry. Surprisingly, I forgot to apply lotion this morning, but it doesn’t seem to have a significant effect. Also, my T-zone is less oily.
5:30 P.M. – Finished one bottle (16.9FL oz.) of water.
TOTAL WATER CONSUMED: 2.15 Bottles (36.45FL oz.)
Day 4 (Saturday 7/30/2016)
8:00 A.M. – Drank 8.47FL oz. of water upon waking up.
11:20 A.M. – Had about 6FL oz. of water at Slurpin Ramen with my food.
12:45 P.M. – Ordered a venti Strawberry Acai with coconut water but only drank 9FL oz. of it.
9:45 P.M. – Consumed 6FL oz. of water with dinner at Yup Duk Duk Bo Kki.
TOTAL WATER CONSUMED: 1.74 Bottles (29.47FL oz.)
Day 5 (Sunday 7/31/2016)
10:00 A.M. – Finished one bottle (16.9FL oz.) of water.
12:30 A.M. – Had 6FL oz. of tea from Teavana Store.
8:45 P.M. – Drank a small amount of water with dinner at KoKo’s Chicken (6FL oz.).
TOTAL WATER CONSUMED: 1.71 Bottles (28.9FL oz.)
The Overall Outcome:
I feel much healthier, and it’s astonishing how a little effort to drink more water has made such a difference. My lips are significantly less chapped, improving by around 80%. I only needed to use eye drops once in the five days, and that was due to consuming alcohol, which tends to dry out my eyes. I’m becoming obsessed with staying hydrated. It almost feels like a drug because I know that if I continue to drink more water than before, my overall health and well-being will improve significantly. My urine is slightly lighter, though there hasn’t been a drastic change in color. However, I have noticed that I need to urinate more frequently. I’m genuinely pleased with the outcome and will continue to maintain this water-drinking habit. I hope that my personal water experiment has convinced any readers out there to prioritize their hydration as well.
