Experts recommend drinking between eight and ten ounces glasses of water throughout the day to maintain proper hydration and optimize brain function. Most experts agree that drinking about half of your body weight in ounces daily is important to maintain optimal hydration levels and reduce the risk of dehydration or chronic diseases like diabetes or obesity. Below is the best time to drink water for maximum health benefits:

1. Upon waking up

Your body is dehydrated after a night’s sleep. As you’re sleeping, you’re not taking in any fluids. This means your urine output is reduced, and you don’t drink enough water. As a result, you’ll be dehydrated when you first wake up. Drinking fluids before your first meal will be beneficial, as it will help to beat fatigue and stress. An easy way to avoid this is by starting each day with a glass of water.

2. Prior to meals

Drinking water before each meal will help you consume fewer calories throughout the day. Drinking just two cups of water before a meal will reduce your appetite, and you will likely eat less. When your body does not have the nutrients it needs for a healthy diet, it may begin snacking on unhealthy foods instead. Drinking water before meals may be an easy way to lose weight and reach your ideal weight faster.

3. Before and during workouts

Drinking water before and during your exercise routine will help to rehydrate your muscles and speeds up the process of your body processing the fluids that it’s sweating out. This can help you avoid dehydration, a significant issue for many athletes. During an intense workout, you’ll want to drink about 16 ounces of water per hour to rehydrate properly throughout the workout. You can carry water to the gym from your best water brands to avoid consuming tap water from the gym. The goal here is not just to drink a lot at once—this kind of drinking is okay for those who don’t mind ‘slurping’ their water—but to focus on longer stretches during the workout.

4. Post-exercise

One of the most important times to consume water is after exercise when your body has become more dehydrated. An easy way to know if you need to drink water is if you feel weak, tired, and lethargic after exercising. Water will help to rehydrate your body, which will help you avoid muscle cramps and muscle pain during recovery time. It’s also important to drink several glasses of water during this period because it helps reduce swelling and keep your organs functioning properly.

5. Throughout your day

Drinking water consistently throughout the day has been shown to improve mouth health, strengthen hair and nails, improve mental clarity, balance pH levels in the stomach, keep mood and body temperature stable and comfortable, and prevent constipation and kidney stones.

Keeping hydrated is important to be healthy and keep up with your daily activities. The water we drink is one of the biggest contributors to our overall health and wellness. Not all sources of drinking water are created equal or safe for consumption. If you care about your health and longevity, you can switch from bottled or tap water to using a water filter.