You have probably heard that you should drink at least eight 250 ml glasses of water per day. But have you ever stopped to think why that is? Our body consists of 60 percent water, a fluid that is essential for our daily functions. Below you will find the main benefits of a good fluid balance and a few tips to help you drink more water.

Whether you are an athlete, have to lift heavy weights at work, or simply value your health: maintaining good hydration can optimize your physical performance.

Research shows that a fluid loss of just 2 percent can already lead to reduced physical performance. When your body loses fluid, you will notice it as follows:

• fluctuating body temperature

• get tired faster

• difficulty sustaining physical performance

• reduced motivation

If you suffer from headaches regularly, have you ever stopped to consider that dehydration might be the cause? There is a connection between headaches and migraines, and fluid loss. Depending on the type of headache you have, drinking more water can reduce the pain. So, the next time you have a throbbing headache, reach for the water bottle instead of the aspirin.

Another benefit of drinking more water is that your digestion improves and your intestines function better. A link has been found between fluid loss and constipation, across all ages.

Not only can drinking more water help resolve constipation; research has also shown that sparkling water works better than bottled water for this purpose.

Kidney stones can be very painful. You are probably familiar with the old remedies, such as drinking cranberry juice, but the best way to combat kidney stones is by drinking more water. Water lowers the salt content in your food, and a low-salt diet is exactly what you need to prevent painful kidney stones.

Water can even help shrink kidney stones so that you pass them more easily. It is also possible that drinking more water reduces the risk of kidney stones in the first place.

People often think that drinking plenty of water can prevent a hangover, but actually, it only helps with the symptoms. By drinking water, you maintain your fluid balance, and that can help prevent signs of fluid loss, such as fatigue, thirst, and headaches.

If you have been drinking, have a glass of water first before going to bed and keep another glass of water within reach in case you wake up at night with a dry mouth.

Make sure you drink enough. Drinking enough water helps fight bacteria that can grow in a dry mouth due to a lack of saliva. Water helps to wash away a bad taste and bad breath.  

One of the biggest benefits of staying well-hydrated is that it helps with weight loss. Sufficient water keeps you feeling full for longer. It can also speed up your metabolism, causing you to burn more calories while at rest. Do you want to prevent weight gain in the long term? Water can help with that too. So skip the soda and grab a bottle of sparkling water instead .

Do you also find it difficult to always drink enough water? Then you might find the following tips helpful.

• Don't wait until you are thirsty before you drink

• If you get hungry, drink some water

• Going out to eat? Drink a glass of water in the restaurant before you order.

• Drink water before, during, and after exercising

The trick is to always have water on hand so you can take sips throughout the day. Bringing water along also helps you avoid reaching for soda or another sugary drink that isn't beneficial.

Don't want to drink tasteless, still water all day? Then give sparkling water a try and all the fantastic flavors that will make you glad you swore off soda. Just don't drink sparkling water while exercising; in that case, it's better to stick to plain still water.

Sparkling water comes in a variety of natural flavors. Sparkling water is a fun, tasty way to drink more water. If you switch to sparkling water, you will likely reach your recommended daily amount much more easily. Drinking water becomes much less of a problem. The bubbles make everything so much more fun!