Why Should You Drink Water While Sitting?

Some call it a myth, while some believe that it is true. Many doctors and Ayurvedic experts may agree to the proposition, while many oppose it, citing limited scientific evidence. It is none other than the perennial debate on drinking water while standing and why it may be harmful to your health. Should you then drink water in a sitting position? That’s what we aim to explore in this article. 

In many cases, doctors and Ayurvedic experts have come to a consensus regarding the risks of drinking water while standing. Hence, here are some reasons to sit and drink water as much as possible.  

Digestive Problems: Indigestion is perhaps the biggest negative impact of drinking water in a standing position. Sit and consume water to avoid it falling through the food canal with huge pressure, speed, and force. What happens is that in a standing position, it reaches the lower stomach directly, thereby wrecking the nerves and disrupting not just fluid balance, but also digestion. 

Arthritis: As shocking as it sounds, drinking water while standing may lead to arthritis and damaged joints in the future. The nerves are tense whenever one consumes water quickly while standing. This leads to higher fluid accumulation in the joints, thereby leading to several problems down the line. 

Lung and Kidney Risks: Standing and drinking water leads to a situation where the necessary vitamins and nutrients do not properly reach your digestive tract or your liver. Hence, the lung and heart functions come under strain since this leads to a disturbance in oxygen levels. 

At the same time, when you sit and drink water, the kidneys will filter it properly, as opposed to the standing position. The latter position leads to fluids passing through minus filtration and hitting the lower stomach, which may lead to impurities entering the bladder and disturbed kidney functions. It may even lead to sudden urinary tract ailments at times. 

So, in a nutshell, these are some of the reasons why you should avoid standing when you drink water. Let us look at the right way to consume water below. 

Is there a right or best way to drink water? As many doctors and Ayurvedic experts will tell you, the correct way is to sit on a chair and keep one’s back erect while drinking water. It ensures that your brain and body taps the benefits of water while avoiding all the issues mentioned above. Some doctors also say that it reduces the chances of bloating right after you consume water. 

Of course, there are still some who highlight the lack of proper scientific evidence on these negative impacts. They feel that there are no strict regulations concerning drinking water while sitting and standing, emphasizing meeting the body’s daily hydration requirements instead. Men may require about 15.5 cups or 3.7 liters of fluid per day, while it is around 11.5 cups or 2.7 liters for women according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Water intake may also have to be modified depending on the environment, exercise, pregnancy, breastfeeding, overall health and wellness, and so on.

While staying hydrated is essential, over-hydration is also avoidable, since it leads to various other issues. Hence, as we can see, there may be some merit to the fervent instructions of our elders, asking us to sit down and then drink water. If you cannot always sit and consume regular or mineral water, then at least have it as slowly as possible, without gulping it down instantly.