Staying hydrated is very important, but exactly how much water do you need to drink each day? Believe it or not, that adage about eight glasses of water might not be best for you! Read on to discover exactly how much water you need each day to keep hydrated…
What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Water?
This probably comes as no surprise, but there are many health benefits to remaining hydrated every day. After all, humans are just over 60% water! It’s what keeps us alive, from keeping our joints lubricated to regulating our body’s temperature to providing essential nutrients to cells, water does it all!
Meanwhile, dehydration is a terrible condition that results when an individual does not get enough water. At best, dehydration can make you feel drained, tired, and unable to complete even simple daily tasks. On the other hand, severe dehydration could cause a hospital visit or, in extremely rare cases, death. So, it’s best to keep yourself hydrated at all times. But how exactly do you do that?
When Should You Drink Water?
It’s essential to drink the right amount of water each day. Too little, as stated, and you’ll suffer dehydration. Too much, on the other hand, can lead to bloating or even water poisoning. But there’s so much varying information out there!
Thankfully, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine decided to look into the question. Ultimately, they found that men should have around 3.7 liters of fluid a day while women need 2.7 liters. However, as you may have noticed, that’s “fluid,” not just water. So, when is it important to drink water? Well, researchers recommend having water with meals and at least one small glass in between meals. Meanwhile, people who exercise daily should drink more, as even more water is lost through sweating. Unfortunately, researchers found no truth to the “8 glasses a day” myth…
Eight Glasses Of Water A Day
While eight glasses of water a day might be a fine place to start, many will find that this is too much or too little. There are many health factors that can impact just how much water one needs each day. These factors include:
- Pregnancy: Women who are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant will need more water than a typical female. After all, they’re drinking for two! The Office on Women’s Health states that pregnant women need to have at least 3.4 liters of fluid every day, preferably water.
- Environment: Just like exercising, hot weather can make one sweat more. So, if you’re sweating alot, you’ll need to drink more water than others every day.
- Health conditions: There are plenty of conditions that can cause the human body to lose more water than a normal one would. Specifically, bladder infections and stones, as well as heart conditions, can often lead to dehydration. In these cases, talk to your specialist to see what they recommend.
As always, if you have a medical question about how much water exactly you should drink each day, talk to your doctor during your next visit.
Sources: Living101, MayoClinic.