Water. We need it to live - I am sorry, I just can't do this. I hear my voice in my head and it sounds like the computer-generated voice similar to the one some may remember from the classic movie 2001: A Space Odyssey--H.A.L.

I don't do "life hacks" ever but during a gathering at our place the other day, I sprung on the assembled middle-agers that I drink a full liter of cold water the moment I wake in the morning. Well, first I do a quick teeth brush and then pad my way out to the kitchen and start pouring.
Cup in hand, I fill up a 16-ounces of cold, fresh water and start chugging. The first glass is consumed in around three to five minutes. The second one is knocked back in about a minute.

With a liter of cold water swishing around in my belly, I feel energized and a little full. I then slowly move into a light-breakfast mode which will start with a cup of coffee.

No coffee or other food passes my lips before about 25 or 30 minutes after I have woken up. The water pushes away hunger and just a small, healthy breakfast suffices to send me calmly in the direction of lunch. I used to drink two cups of coffee at a minimum at home and then a few more at work but since I started my water cleanse every morning about eight years ago, I struggle through a full cup of coffee.

The water idea came to me after I read an article while staying in a hotel in Tokyo. There was a small piece about why Japanese women look so youthful and have such "smooth, porcelain-like skin." I had never thought about it until that moment but the next day walking around the city and while in meetings, I found myself paying close attention to the skin of the women.

I have to admit I took advantage of my jet-lagged state of mind and also let the fact that I was a foreigner make up for any weirdness that the locals might have perceived from me - "Why is this tall European-looking guy in the bright yellow pants staring so closely at my skin?"

By the way, I was wearing a lime-green sports jacket and a white Bavarian shirt with little deer heads on it. Yes, there is a good chance my attention to skin was not being noticed thanks to my outfit. Speaking at a banker's conference, I wanted it to be known that I wasn't a banker - they were all wearing black.

As I concluded my speech, I decided to liven up the banker's conference a bit more and so I posed the question:
"How many women in this room drink a liter of water when they wake up in the morning?"
All of the Japanese women in the room, about 20, raised their hands. It turns out that Japanese men don't drink water when they wake up. None of the Australians, Europeans, or Americans drank water - "coffee," was the universal shout.

Why water in the morning?

Drinking water upon waking is beneficial for several reasons:

1. Rehydration: Sleeping can dehydrate the body, so drinking water can replenish fluids and maintain hydration levels.
2. Improved digestion: Water can help to flush out toxins from the digestive system, improve bowel movements, and stimulate metabolism.
3. Boosts Energy: Water can provide a natural energy boost to the body and improve alertness and cognitive function.
4. Improved skin health: Water can help to keep the skin hydrated, improve skin elasticity, and give it a healthy glow.
5. Supports the immune system: Staying hydrated can help to support the immune system, reduce the risk of illness, and help the body to fight infections.

If these aren't enough reasons then, well, don't do it.

The standard reaction when I tell people about the liter of water is "Oh my God, a whole liter? I drink that much in a day," or, "I don't drink that much in a day."

I am not saying I look like a Japanese woman, that was never been my goal, but I will tell you that when people learn my age they never believe it. I am always given 10 to 12 years less.

While I haven't noticed that the water consumption lowers my blood pressure, little seems to take care of that but with meds, I do feel quite amazing after my two glasses. I only continue to drink coffee each morning because I like the ritual. The "need" part of the coffee is no longer really there. The water flushes my system and really seems to wake up every cell in my body so the caffeine is not needed.

Try it. It can't hurt but my recommendation to everyone is to start slowly. It's like with push-ups. You do five and it hurts. The next day you do six and it still hurts. The next day you do 10 but the first five no longer hurt. Drink half a glass of water and then wait 10 minutes and drink the rest. The next day, do the same. Gradually build up to the full liter and then once you get there, make it as natural as getting out of bed. My family knows that nothing for me starts until that water is consumed.

The odds are you will like the effects once you get over the psychological fear that a liter of water is a lot. It's not a lot and when your body has been deprived of water for a full night of sleep, it is aching to just suck that water in and water your organs as if were watering a parched front lawn.

Let it. Drink the water. Enjoy it. You will feel awesome for it.

My first annual - and likely last annual - life hack is now over. I am sorry for this but I needed to share this water wisdom with the world while enjoying some alliteration.