Article content
Few people are the kind who go to the gym or out to dinner without drinking water. Hydration is important, but just like a lack of water, an excess can also have adverse health consequences. During the current hot summer days you should regularly replenish fluids throughout the day to prevent dehydration.
Drinking water
However, today we will take a closer look at situations in which it’s actually good to slow down with water a bit, because it can be harmful to you.
We will also reveal what can happen to your body when you drink too much water during the day.
And here are the promised 9 situations in which you definitely should not drink water.
In the evening, just before bedtime
There are two reasons why it is not suitable to drink water just before sleeping.
The first reason is the fact that it can then lead to interruptions of nighttime sleep due to the need to go to the toilet. Later you may have trouble falling asleep again.
The second reason is that our kidneys work more slowly at night than during the day. Therefore you may sometimes notice swelling of the face and limbs in the morning.
Drinking water before sleep will deepen this problem even further.
During intense exercise
According to scientists, excessive drinking of water during exercise can have negative side effects.
During exercise the body temperature rises and a person feels overheated. If they then drink a lot of water to cool down, it causes depletion of electrolytes.
The result is often pain or dizziness, possibly nausea.
In addition, excessive fluids can be dangerous for people with heart disease, because it increases the load on the heart. For this reason doctors recommend drinking water only after finishing exercise.
If you have colorless urine
Completely clear and colorless urine is a sign of overhydration. If this occurs in you, you probably drank too much water during the day even when you were not feeling thirsty.
The problem is that such overhydration leads to a drop in blood sodium levels. This can have serious consequences, even posing a risk of a heart attack.
Washing down spicy foods
You should never drink a lot of water after consuming spicy foods.
The burning is caused by the substance capsaicin. It is a nonpolar molecule, which means it can only be diluted in nonpolar beverages like milk.
If you try to wash away the burning with water containing polar molecules, you will make the whole situation worse. The capsaicin molecules will be spread throughout the mouth and esophagus in this way.
Just before, during, or after a meal
Drinking water while eating worsens digestion. The reason is the dilution of digestive juices found in saliva and in the stomach.
Drinking during a meal also slows the production of saliva. Insufficiently digested food then accumulates in the stomach and intestines, where it acts toxically. And this even when you eat only healthy foods.
If you drink cold water or alcohol, that will further worsen the whole situation.
If the water comes from a garden hose
Although garden hoses are connected to a source of fresh drinking water, the substances found in such rubber hoses are dangerous to human health.
These substances can disrupt the endocrine system. For example, the element antimony (Sb) present in the rubber damages the liver, kidneys and other organs.
Rubber also contains phthalates, which reduce intelligence and cause changes in behavior, especially in children.
If the water contains artificial sweeteners
This advice mainly applies to people who are trying to lose weight and therefore turn to sugar substitutes.
The problem is that most artificial sweeteners stimulate appetite, which can eventually lead to weight gain.
Also be careful with the popular water with lemon slices. Such water is tasty and healthy, but it also stimulates the appetite. It’s good to know and take that into account.
Sea water
Each of us probably knows that one should avoid drinking seawater. But few people know why it is harmful to our health.
Most people think of the salt contained in seawater. Its consumption would lead to an increased need for fresh water to balance electrolyte levels. Sea water can thus paradoxically cause dehydration.
The second, less known risk of seawater is the fact that most coastal waters contain pathogenic human viruses.
Therefore, if it gets into your mouth, try to spit it out immediately. After all, you don’t want to spend your whole vacation with stomach pains or diarrhea due to rotavirus.
If you have already drunk enough water during the day
We have already talked about this, but we want to remind you once more.
Excessive drinking of water leads to a decrease in blood sodium levels, which tends to have very unpleasant side effects.
Excessive water retention is also harmful to your kidneys because it hinders their proper function in regulating important components of the blood.
What happens with overhydration
Excessive drinking of water leads to a disease called hyponatremia. Doctors recommend not underestimating it, because in some cases it can even threaten your life.
Patients diagnosed with hyponatremia tend to have symptoms such as seizures and convulsions, and show signs of confusion or even depression.
Of course, the reasons stated in this article should not be a reason for you to start drinking too little water, because it is very important for bodily functions.
The principle is balance, that is, do not go to either extreme.
