A lot of us don’t drink enough water. Sometimes we rush through the day with the odd gulp of tea or coffee and then wonder why we have a headache when we finish work.

It’s amazing to think that this boring looking liquid is vital for our health. Women should aim to drink between one and a half and two litres of water a day to stay well hydrated.

Drinking water can stop you from feeling hungry, keep your muscles energised, help your kidneys stay healthy, and improve your skin.

But, did you know that there are optimum times in the day to drink water? If you drink at the right times you’ll reap the most benefits.

Wakey! Wakey!

When you first get up, one or two glasses of water will give your body a quick detox and get your brain functioning. If you don’t like plain water in the morning, pop a slice of lemon in to add flavour.

Before a Meal

Drinking a glass of water half an hour before you eat will help your digestion. It could also help with weight loss. A trial carried out at the University of Birmingham split two groups of obese adults into those who drank a glass of water before a meal, and those that didn’t.

At the end of the study, the group who drank the water lost an average of 2.87 pounds more than the group that didn’t drink.

In the Gym

Have a glass of water before you work out and then a couple of glasses afterward to replace lost fluids.

When You’re hungry or Tired

If you feel hungry have a drink before you have something to eat. Often we think we’re hungry when in actual fact it’s a drink we need, not food. Drink a glass of water instead of a caffeinated drink when you’re tired as a healthier way to wake yourself up.

At Bedtime

If you don’t have trouble getting up in the night to use the loo, drinking a glass of water before bedtime will keep you hydrated during the night.

image:istock.com/Olga Petrova-Apostolova