How Much Water Should I Drink Every Day To Live Better?

Life and health depend on water. It performs numerous essential tasks, including controlling your body’s temperature, eliminating waste, lubricating your joints, and safeguarding your internal organs. It accounts for roughly 50% to 70% of your body weight. Fatigue, headaches, mood swings, and other issues can result from dehydration. To stay hydrated and healthy, it is crucial to drink enough water each day.

But how much water ought to you consume each day? The solution is not that easy. It depends on a variety of variables, including your age, gender, weight, amount of activity, health, the environment, and food. There is no universal advice that applies to everyone. You can estimate your ideal water consumption and alter your lifestyle, though, by following a few fundamental rules and advice.

General water drinking recommendations

One of the most common advice you may have heard is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. This is equivalent to about 2 liters or half a gallon of water. However, this is not a scientific rule and may not suit everyone’s needs.

A more reliable way to determine your daily water intake is based on your energy expenditure. This is because water needs are closely linked to how much energy you use during the day. The more active you are, the more water you lose through sweating and breathing, and the more water you need to replenish.

According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, an adequate daily fluid intake for adults is:

• About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
• About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women

These recommendations include fluids from water, other beverages, and food. About 20% of your daily fluid intake usually comes from food, especially fruits and vegetables that have high water content. The rest comes from drinks.

You can use our water intake calculator1 to easily calculate your recommended daily water intake based on your age, gender, weight, and activity level.

Climate, excessive perspiration, and pregnancy adjustments

The general recommendations above are for healthy adults living in temperate climates. However, you may need to adjust your water intake depending on some specific situations.

• Climate: If you live in a hot or humid environment, you may sweat more and lose more water. You may also need more water if you are at a high altitude or in an air-conditioned or heated room.

• Excessive sweating: If you exercise intensely or for a long time, you may lose a lot of water through sweating. You may also sweat more if you have a fever or an infection. You need to drink extra water before, during, and after your workout or illness to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you need more water to support the growth and development of your baby and to produce breast milk. Pregnant women should drink about 10 cups (2.4 liters) of fluids a day and breastfeeding women should drink about 13 cups (3.1 liters) of fluids a day.

Benefits of staying optimally hydrated

Getting enough water each day can improve your lifestyle in a variety of ways. Among them are:

• Improving your physical performance: Water helps your muscles work efficiently and prevents fatigue, cramps, and overheating.

• Water promotes cognitive function and boosts your mood, memory, concentration, and creativity. It also helps your brain work properly.

• Boosting your metabolism: Water helps your body digest food and burn calories. Drinking cold water can also increase your metabolic rate by stimulating thermogenesis (heat production).

• Supporting your immune system: Water helps your body fight infections and flush out toxins.
• Promoting your skin health: Water helps your skin stay hydrated, elastic, and smooth. It also prevents dryness, wrinkles, and acne.

• Preventing kidney stones: Water helps dilute the minerals and salts in your urine that can form kidney stones.

• Reducing headaches: Water helps prevent or relieve headaches caused by dehydration or stress.
• Water content in foods

20% of your daily fluid consumption, as was previously indicated, comes from meals. Some foods can keep you hydrated as they contain more water than others.

Here are some examples of foods that contain a lot of water:

• Fruits: Watermelon (92% water), strawberries (91% water), grapefruit (88% water), cantaloupe (90% water), peaches (89% water), oranges (88% water), pineapple (87% water), etc.
• Vegetables: Cucumber (95% water), lettuce (96% water), celery (95% water), zucchini (94% water), tomatoes (94% water), cabbage (92% water), cauliflower (92% water), broccoli (89% water), etc.
• Soups and broths: Chicken soup (92% water), vegetable soup (92% water), beef broth (93% water), etc.
• Drinks: Milk (87% of it is water), coffee (99%), tea (99%), juice (88%), etc.

In addition, you can consume meals rich in electrolytes including salt, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These minerals aid in maintaining your body’s fluid balance and minimizing dehydration. Several foods include electrolytes, including:

• Dairy products: Yogurt, cheese, milk, etc.
• Nuts and seeds: Almonds, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
• Bananas: One medium banana provides about 10% of your daily potassium needs.
• Coconut water: One cup of coconut water provides about 17% of your daily potassium needs and 11% of your daily sodium needs.
• Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, etc.

Conclusion

You need water to stay healthy and happy. Numerous aspects of your living might be improved by consistently drinking enough water. However, depending on a number of variables, each person will require a different amount of water. Our water intake calculator can help you determine your ideal water intake based on your unique traits. Additionally, you can modify your water intake to suit your own circumstances and requirements. You can consume fluids in the form of food, beverages, and water. Keep in mind to hydrate yourself anytime you feel thirsty and be aware of the symptoms of dehydration. Enjoy the benefits of water while staying hydrated!