This document summarizes a 30-day experiment where the author drank 8 cups of water per day to test effects on headaches, weight loss, and hydration. The author recorded headaches, weight, and feelings in a journal. Results were inconclusive as headaches fluctuated and weight increased then decreased. The author concluded that 30 days may not be enough time to see effects and that drinking water is generally healthy, though difficult to do in large volumes. The author plans to continue drinking 8 cups daily to observe longer-term impacts.

1. 30 Day Immersion:
Drinking 8 cups of Water
per Day
By: Allyson Andrews

2. Research Question
Does Drinking 8 cups of water every day
benefit to one’s health considering three
main factors; 1) Reduction of
headaches, 2) Weight loss, and 3)
Hydration?

3. My Inspiration
I have always heard from health classes and
doctors that the recommendation of how
much a person should drink per day is 8
cups, but they never really explained why, or
what affects it would have on the body. I
decided to try it out, and discover exactly what
these positive effects are. I felt that it would
be beneficial to me and my health by
immersing myself in this experiment for 30
days. I was inspired because I am attempting
to better my overall health and lifestyle.

4. The Experiment
For 30 days, I measured out 8 cups of water and drank
them periodically throughout the day. I kept tallies of
how many cups I had already drank during the day so I
would not lose track. I recorded my feelings (mostly
my thoughts on hydration and energy) in a
notebook, as well as kept record of the number of
headaches per week, and recorded my weight every
Sunday of every week for 4 weeks.

5. Me
drinking
water :P

6. What I Learned
1) I learned that I had to pee A LOT! Not fun, but a part of the
process.
2) I did feel slightly more hydrated as the weeks went on.
3) The increase in hydration helped with respiration during exercise.
4) On weeks 1 and 3, I had two head headaches, and in weeks 2 and
4, I had zero, so those results fluctuated and it was hard to come up
with a confirmation or rejection of my original expected outcome.
5) I also learned that my weight fluctuated as well. It increased by 1 lb
the first week, then the last few weeks after, it began to drop by 1-2
pounds. This also made it difficult to come up with a conclusion.
6) Overall, I feel that I need more time than 30 days to see if my
factors are supported by experiment, or rejected. I heard from others
who have tried it said water helps with weight loss and you feel a lot
better, however they mentioned that it takes a while.

7. Number of Headaches in 4 weeks
4
3.5
3
# of Headaches
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Time (weeks)

8. Recorded Weight over 4 Weeks
151
150
Weight (lbs.)
149
148
147
146
145
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Time (weeks)

9. My Final Thoughts
I feel that I did not collect the data I was
expecting to. I hope that others will take
from this that water is very important to the
human body, and it is better to drink more.
Also, everyone’s body is different, so some
may react like mine, while others may have
drastically different results. After the
experiment, I am planning on continuing with
drinking close to 8 cups of water every
day, because I am eager to better my
health, and to find out my results beyond 30
days.
Everyone is different, but I do want to
mention that I didn’t particularly like drinking
all of that water. It was tough, and quite
annoying. Despite my results, I still do
believe that water is a healthy choice, and
beneficial to the body.

10. Another experiment by KJ; She tried drinking 8 cups of water
for one week (this was similar to my experiment with minor
changes). Check out her experience!

11. I hope that my
experiment and results
from project 2 informed
and entertained my
audience throughout this
immersion. Thank you
for watching 

12. Works Cited
Konkin, Kj. “KJ's Life Experiment - 403 - Should We Really
Drink 8 Glasses Of Water A Day? “. Online video
clip.YouTube. YouTube, 28 Nov. 2012. Web. 3 Mar. 2012.