Providing enough water for the body every day is very important, but the posture in which you drink water is equally significant. Below are some reasons why you should not drink water while standing.

Causes Arthritis

When you drink water while standing, the body’s fluid balance is disrupted. This often leads to an excessive accumulation of fluid in the joints, which can cause arthritis or worsen existing arthritis.

Water Splashes Against the Stomach Walls

Health experts believe that drinking water quickly while standing allows it to flow straight into the intestines and splash against the stomach walls. Over time, the pressure from these splashes may damage the digestive system, as this impact harms the stomach lining and digestive tract.

Thirst Is Not Fully Satisfied

Your thirst will never be completely quenched if you drink water while standing. You will feel the need to drink more and at a faster pace. It is better to sit down and sip slowly to truly ease your thirst.

Persistent Indigestion

When you drink water standing up, your muscles and nervous system do not get the chance to relax, preventing the digestive nerves from being activated. As a result, digesting both liquids and other foods becomes difficult, leading to a feeling of indigestion.

Kidneys Do Not Filter Water Properly

Drinking water while standing does not support the kidney’s filtration process. Normally, impurities remain in the kidneys and bladder, which may lead to urinary tract disorders and even permanent kidney damage.

Does Not Dilute Acid Concentration in the Body

Traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda, also emphasizes that water should be consumed slowly, in small sips, and while sitting down. This method helps balance the body’s water ratio, thereby diluting acid levels in the body. Therefore, if you often drink water while standing, it’s time to change this habit.

Esophageal Damage

Water splashes strongly against the lower part of the esophagus when you drink standing up. This may disrupt the sphincter muscles—the valve between the stomach and esophagus—resulting in stomach acid refluxing upward, causing a burning sensation and potential esophageal damage.

Triggers Nervous Tension

When you drink water standing, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, creating nervous tension in the body. But when you sit down and drink, the parasympathetic system—also called the "rest and digest system"—is activated instead. This system calms the senses and allows digestion to occur more smoothly.