Water, whether you consume it as sparkling water, bottled water, fresh purified water, or seltzer water, is essential for hydrating your body. Every living thing needs it, from tiny bacteria, to plants, to giant blue whales—water is a key component of life. Tap water can sometimes get contaminated, so to consume the healthiest water possible you should look for the best water filters to ensure you get clean hydration. You might wonder if there’s ever a certain time that you should be drinking water, and there is! Here’s the 6 best times to drink water for maximum health benefits:

1. When you wake up

Start your day off right by enjoying a refreshing glass of water when you wake up in the morning. This sets healthy habits and makes maintaining good hydration habits throughout the day much easier.

2. Before meals

If you’re trying to lose weight, drinking water before a meal can enhance fullness and prevent you from overeating. Not only this, but creating a schedule where you drink water before meals can up your hydration and water intake, making good, healthy habits.

3. Before and after exercise

When you exercise, you lose water and electrolytes through sweat. To maintain your hydration, it is recommended that you drink water before and after a workout. This will help your body to replenish any lost fluids.

4. Midafternoon

If you, like others, find yourself experiencing a lack of energy around midafternoon, a glass of water may be all you need. Dehydration can be the cause of this drop in energy, and drinking coffee too close to bedtime can create issues with falling asleep, so water can only benefit you.

5. When you have a headache

Headaches are a common symptom of dehydration, so the best way to counter this is by upping your water intake.

6. When you’re ill

When your body is fighting an infection, it can lose a lot of fluids whether that be through vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating out a fever. Getting enough hydration is essential to replenish your fluids and help you recover.