Do you know why water is the most important element that all of us need to consume? It is because 60% of our body comprises of it. We are constantly losing water content due to sweat and urine. To prevent dehydration and to maintain body balance, we need to incorporate enough of the fluid. This is why having the answer to ‘how much water should a person drink a day?’ is essential to all of us.
The internet can seem extremely confusing when it comes to calculating how much water you need to consume. Health authorities recommend a minimum of 2 liters of water and we must abide by that much. You can measure it as 8 glasses of 8-ounce water and drink it around the day. If you want to be perfect, just Google how much water should I drink a day calculator and measure it according to your BMI.
Health benefits of drinking water
Water is the principal chemical component of our body that makes up 60% of our body weight. Every cell, organ, and tissue of our body needs water to function properly. Some of the basic reasons why we need water are:
- It helps us get rid of toxins through urine, bowel movements, and perspiration
- Keeps our body temperature normal
- Protects sensitive tissues
- Cushions and lubricates our joints
- Prevents dehydration
- Keeps us energetic
How much water should a person drink a day?
All through the day, we need to drink enough water to replenish the amount that we lose. Check the following points to know how the quantity differs between men and women:
- An adult man must drink a minimum of 3.7 liters or 15 cups of water per day
- An adult woman must have 2.7 liters or 11 cups of water per day
We indirectly consume water from 20% of the food we drink all through the day. So, you need to drink at least 2-3 liters of purified water otherwise. Fruits and beverages include a lot of water. You can keep a check on all that you consume to understand the level of water you consume. Additionally, hydration helps flush toxins from your system, promoting clear and radiant skin. That’s the reason why nowadays, it’s popular to consider home IV in New York or other locations, which offers convenient options for staying hydrated and detoxifying your body in addition to drinking enough water.
Quick facts about water intake
Check out some key aspects of water consumption. These will help you have a better idea to understand how much water should a person drink a day:
- The main sources of water come with fluids and food we eat all through the day
- Doctor’s recommendation that asks you to have 8-ounce glasses of water every day is not based on any scientific evidence. It is based on years of research and analysis that results as a minimum level of water that people must drink to stay hydrated.
- The reasons why there is no evidence of how much water a person must consume is because it varies from one to another.
- Our body, lifestyle, circumstance, climate, and daily activity are aspects that determine how much water we must consume.
- A healthy body maintains a well-tuned balance of fluids.
- The mechanism of feeling thirsty keeps us alert on when and how much to drink.
- We need to be cautious during winters, as it is the only season when we feel less thirsty than usual.
What determines how many bottles of water should I drink a day?
You have to modify the total amount of water consumption depending on the following factors:
1. Exercise
If you do activities that make you sweat a lot, you have to drink a lot more water than usual. It helps you balance out the fluid loss. You must drink water before, during, and after your workout. If the exercise is intense or lasts more than one hour, you need to have minerals for the electrolytes. Make sure you have the right kind of juices, glucose water, and diet food to keep you going.
2. Environment
Hot and humid weather can make you sweat more than usual. You need more fluids to maintain the balance. On the contrary, being on higher altitudes make your body dehydrated so you need to drink more water there too.
3. Health condition
Our body loses fluid when we have fever, diarrhea, or vomiting. You must drink lots of water during this time or follow what your doctor instructs for rehydration. If you have a condition like a bladder infection, stone in the urinary tract, you will have to drink more water than usual.
4. Expecting and lactating women
Pregnant and breastfeeding women need to have more fluids than usual. Pregnant women must have a minimum of 2.4 liters of water every day irrespective of what they eat. While lactating women must consume a minimum of 3.1 liters of fluids every day.
Can you drink too much water?
A lot of people want to know if drinking too much water is unsafe. Drinking more water than regular can rarely cause you danger. It just so happens that fluids can increase sodium level and make your blood pressure drop. This condition is known as Hyponatremia and can be fatal. Many people call it water intoxication as well.
People mostly face problems due to inadequate water intake, as our body naturally resists excess consumption. Irrespective of how much water should a person drink a day, you must increase water intake when you:
- Don’t feel thirsty at all so that it reverses the process
- If your urine is dark yellow and has a strong (bad) smell
Best time to have water
Many people ask, “how much water should I drink based on my weight?” Calculating your workout activity and BMI will help you find this answer. But you also need to know the best time to have water that helps you balance good body weight. The best time to drink water is:
- In an empty stomach: every morning, boil a cup of water until it is lukewarm to drink it or drink normal water. At least have the first 8-ounce water when you wake up.
- Before meals: to curb excess eating and maintain a good proportion of food intake, drink water before you eat. It prevents you from eating more than you should.
- Exercise: you need to drink water before, after, and during exercises. Your body loses a lot of water during this time and you need to give back the energy you lose.
- When you’re hungry: there are times when we feel hungry and we want to have junk as snacks. Water is the best hack that can keep you away from making such an unhealthy blunder.
Final thoughts
Fill your diet with fruits likes grapes and watermelon to add more water to your body than from the plain fluid. Eat green veggies like celery, broccoli, and spinach to also add fluids to your body. Keep a check on how much water you drink so that you’re well-hydrated but make sure you don’t overconsume it.
