Why Do I Feel Puffy? Understanding Fluid Retention

Feeling puffier some days than others is extremely common, and there's usually a straightforward explanation.

What fluid retention is

Your body is mostly water, and some of it sits in the spaces between cells. When a little extra collects there, you notice it: rings feel tight, socks leave marks, your face looks different first thing.

Everyday things that affect it

• Salt. A salty meal draws water into tissues, which is why takeaways often show up the next morning.
• Sitting or standing still. Long flights, long shifts and long desk days all let fluid pool in the legs.
• Heat. Warm weather makes blood vessels widen and ankles swell.
• Hormonal cycles. Many women notice a pattern across the month.
• Alcohol and poor sleep. Both change how your body handles fluid.

Sensible everyday habits

Move regularly, break up long periods of sitting, put your legs up for a few minutes in the evening, drink enough water, and go easy on very salty food. Dull, but it's what the evidence supports.

When it isn't just everyday puffiness

See your GP if swelling is in one leg only, comes on suddenly, is painful, red or warm, or comes with breathlessness or chest pain. Also see them if swelling is persistent rather than coming and going, or if you take medication that lists it as a side effect. These are things to get checked, not to manage with a supplement.

General information only, not medical advice.