Why Do I Feel Puffy? Understanding Fluid Retention

Puffiness is fluid sitting in the tissue instead of moving along. It is usually temporary, usually harmless, and usually traceable to something you did in the previous twenty-four hours.

The common causes

• A salty meal the night before, which pulls water into the tissue.
• Not drinking enough, which counter-intuitively makes the body hold on to more.
• A long flight, drive or workday with very little movement.
• Hot weather, which dilates blood vessels and lets more fluid escape into tissue.
• Hormonal shifts across the menstrual cycle.
• Alcohol the evening before — a reliable one for the face and eyes.

What actually shifts it

Movement, water, and time. Walking is the single most effective thing on the list because it puts the muscle pump to work. A cool compress helps the face in the short term. Elevating the legs helps the legs.