Video
7 minutes

How staying hydrated helps us age well

Updated Thursday, 3 April 2025

We all know drinking more water is good for us, but did you know good hydration can do so much more for us as we age?

Find out more about The Open University's Health and Social Care courses and qualifications.

In this video, Dr Jitka Vseteckova explains why drinking more water can help us to stay healthy and well later in life.

According to the United Nations, ageing is likely to be one of the most significant social transformations of the twenty-first century, as virtually every country in the world is experiencing more older people in their populations.

While living longer is a good thing, the number of people ageing in good health and feeling well is declining.

What can we do, as individuals, to take some control of our own ageing and do all we can to stay well later in life?

Good hydration forms part of The Five Pillars of Ageing Well, an innovative model that helps people to embrace healthy ageing behaviours in five key areas: Nutrition, Hydration, Physical, Social and Cognitive Stimulation.

Dr Jitka Vseteckova

Dr Jitka Vseteckova is a Senior Lecturer in The OU’s School Health, Wellbeing & Social Care.

Discover more about Dr Jitka Vseteckova and her work.

References, credits and acknowledgments

This video was written and presented by Dr Jitka Vseteckova and produced by The Open University in Wales.

United Nations (nd) Global Issues: Ageing. Available at: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/ageing (Accessed 1 April 2025).

Centre for Ageing Better (2022) The State of Ageing 2022. Available at: https://ageing-better.org.uk/summary-state-ageing-2022 (Accessed 1 April 2025).

Learn more with OpenLearn

Ageing Well Collection

Learn about ageing well with our collection of free learning resources including expert insights, recorded talks, podcasts, interactives and courses.

Read now to access more details of Ageing Well Collection
Five pillars of ageing well

Dr Jitka Vseteckova provides easy to follow advice on how to stay healthy in five steps.

Watch now to access more details of Five pillars of ageing well
Pharmacotherapy while ageing

As we age, we're at risk of having multiple long-term health conditions - this can require multiple medications. This article explores the impact multiple medications have on the body.

Watch now to access more details of Pharmacotherapy while ageing

Open Talks from The Open University in Wales

Open Talks is a video series where Open University academics share their expertise and passion on a subject or issue of their choice.

Watch more from Open Talks

Urban trees - could towns and cities become forests?

Dr Philip Wheeler explores how we manage trees in urban environments now and for the future.

Watch now to access more details of Urban trees - could towns and cities become forests?
The legacy of the Victorian prison treadmill

Professor Rosalind Crone examines the dark history of the penal treadmill and asks what lessons we can learn for prisons today.

Watch now to access more details of The legacy of the Victorian prison treadmill
Festival of Psychology

Four experts from a variety of fields in psychology talk about their research and areas of work.

Watch now to access more details of Festival of Psychology