So you already know the importance of drinking water. It makes up at least 60-75% of our body weight1 and plays a vital role in our bodies from removing toxins, regulating our temperatures and supporting cell function. It’s so essential that even if we could go a whole month without food, we would only be able to survive about 3 days without water. 2 But how much water do we really need to be drinking to replenish our locs from within? What could possibly go wrong if we don’t drink enough and is it even possible to drink too much water?
Why you need to drink water for healthy locs
There’s plenty of information out there about the importance of hydrating your locs from the outside but very few seem to highlight the importance of drinking water and its benefits for growing and maintaining healthy locs. Here are some of the benefits of drinking water for locs:
- It forms an optimal environment for hair growth
- It helps essential proteins and vitamins reach your hair follicles
- It makes up part of your hair composition creating stronger and healthier looking locs!
For more details on the benefits of drinking water, you can read 5 Benefits of Drinking Water For Locs – GIRL vs NATURE.
*DISCLAIMER: Please note, I am a Hair Drama Specialist not a Medical Adviser. So please use this post for guidance only and seek professional assistance from your GP or other health practitioners.
What could happen to your locs if you don’t drink enough water?
Drinking water is essential to the survival of your locs. Not drinking enough water leads to the body becoming dehydrated. And when the body is dehydrated, your scalp becomes dehydrated too. Your scalp is the base for growing healthy locs and needs moisture from both within and without to maintain an optimal environment for hair growth. A dehydrated scalp:
- shows signs of dryness, itchyness
- reduces the chances of vital nutrients reaching your hair follicles and
- can increases chances of stunted hair growth
So if you want to grow your locs and keep them healthy, it is essential that you drink enough water. But how do you know when you are getting dehydrated and need to fill up on your water intake? You will notice that you experience thirstiness very often and your scalp is flaking from dryness. Other signs include dry mouth, parched lips and changes in urine colour from a pale yellow to a darker yellow.4
How much water should you drink?
So how much water is ‘just enough’ to maintain a healthy internal environment for your locs? Do you really need to stick to drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water every single day? Well, according to the NHS, we should be drinking a variety of fluids to stay hydrated. About 6-8 cups/mugs of drinks throughout the day5 is recommended. That’s about 200ml mugs/cups of fluid a day and approximately 1.2 litres. What’s awesome about this recommendation is that it includes drinks like fruit juice, tea, coffee and even foods. That’s great because having the option to consume other fluids makes it easier to get your system hydrated.
However, many alternatives to pure water contain sugars which when consumed too often lead to other health problems like tooth decay, diabetes or obesity.6 So my advice is to try and get as much natural water in your body as possible and if you choose to have other fluids, try to keep a balance and drink them in moderation.
Is it possible to over do drinking water?
Apparently so. If you go overboard with drinking water, it can lead to water intoxication also known as hyponatremia. This is a condition where excess water floods the system and dilutes the blood.7 Not good for your body, so definitely will serve no benefit to your locs. The only time drinking water excessively is not a bad thing is if you’re pregnant. Pregnant mummies can drink up to 12 cups/mugs a day8 as they are drinking for two! If you want to know what signs to look out for in regards to hyponatremia, you can check out the ‘learn more’ section below.
So now you know how much water you should be drinking to grow healthy locs! Stay tuned with The Loc Life for more amazing content to help you on your loc journey. Also make sure to follow my blog, so you don’t miss a post!
If you found this post useful, let me know in the comments below. And if have any questions about water and hydrating your locs from within, feel free to email me cocoa@girlvsnature.com.
Connect with me on Instagram: @girl_vs_nature
Main image: Danielle Loxx
Learn more…
- Biological Roles of Water: Why is water necessary for life? – Science in the News (harvard.edu)
- What percentage of the human body is water? (medicalnewstoday.com)
- How long can you live without water? Facts and effects (medicalnewstoday.com)
- Urine Color and Dehydration – Health Hearty
- Hydration | NHS inform
- Health Effects of Sugary Drinks (bphc.org)
- Are You Drinking Too Much Water? 9 Signs | The Healthy
- Effects Of Drinking Too Much Water During Pregnancy (nerdyrockson.co)