As a great way to preserve health, fitness and wellbeing, not to mention a route to defying ageing, drinking water is a priority in many people’s lives.

Those serious about hitting that eight glass a day target get to enjoy a long list of perks. But for a select few, there’s a downside to upping water intake that’s not so widely talked about.

Many people experience water bloat due to their great hydration habits, but there are several steps individuals can take to beat the bloat without slowing their water intake.

Here we take a closer look at why you might be feeling bloated after drinking water and what you can do to combat this uncomfortable side effect.

Am I bloated?

We all know the feeling of a bloated stomach. Your tummy will feel stretched and uncomfortably full, with the condition even causing gas, burping, rumbling, and gurgling. Appearance-wise, your stomach may look bigger and make your clothes feel tighter as a result.

Here Holland and Barrett explains more about what goes on inside your body when experiencing bloating:

“It can happen to anyone. We all carry a certain amount of gas in our digestive system. For example, when we chew, gulp and talk, we ingest some small amounts of air. This can cause gas to travel into our gut.

If a disproportionate amount of gas is produced in the abdomen for some reason, your body may struggle to excrete this excess air. And if your digestive system is sensitive to these changes, bloating is one of the side effects.”

What causes bloating?

There is a wide range of reasons why you may be experiencing bloating. Bloating is generally the result of swallowing too much air. Yet, it can also be caused by eating certain foods; intolerances or allergies to lactose, gluten and other ingredients; menstruation; and digestion problems.

In addition to this, drinking water can cause that bloated feeling, which whilst fleeting can be particularly uncomfortable.

How can I reduce water bloating?

Water bloating is often the result of drinking water too quickly or drinking too much water in one sitting. Drinking little and often is therefore integral to reducing bloating and avoiding that uncomfortable feeling.

Follow our top tips for remembering to drink water throughout the day to ensure you top up your supplies around the clock and enjoy all the advantages of great, day-long hydration.

Drinking water that is too cold is another factor that can cause water bloating. Many health benefits go hand-in-hand with drinking warm or room temperature water. It’s been proven to promote better digestion, relieve constipation, soothe sore throats, and remedy nasal congestion.

Drinking water at room temperature has also been linked with improved detoxification and weight management, and can directly prevent painful bloating caused by menstruation.

Sticking to filtered water and avoiding the consumption of drinks that are gassy, such as carbonated beverages, will help to limit bloating too.

Enjoy tasty, odourless and impurity-free filtered water in your very own home by investing in one of our drinking water filter systems today.