Is drinking enough water really that important?
Water is required to maintain good health. Most people are not getting enough! Keep reading for some useful information.
By: Ronni Shino
Most aren’t familiar with how much water to drink every day, there is no simple answer either, due to various lifestyle requirements. There have been studies with various recommendations, however each person has unique requirements which range from health, activity level, environment, living situations, and much more. It is important to know what the correct amount is for your current situation and to ensure you maintain a daily upkeep of it.
Important health benefits of water!
Water is required to maintain good health. Most people are not getting enough! Keep reading for some useful information.
By: Ronni Shino
Most aren’t familiar with how much water to drink every day, there is no simple answer either, due to various lifestyle requirements. There have been studies with various recommendations, however each person has unique requirements which range from health, activity level, environment, living situations, and much more. It is important to know what the correct amount is for your current situation and to ensure you maintain a daily upkeep of it.
Important health benefits of water!
Your body makes up 60-70% of your total weight. You need water to literally stay alive, let alone live a healthy successful life. Every aspect of your body requires water to function. Here are some examples:
- Transport of nutrients and oxygen to cells.
- Getting rid of bacteria from your bladder.
- Helping with digestion.
- Preventing you from getting constipated.
- Helping regulate blood pressure.
- Regulating your heartbeat.
- Adding cushion to your joints.
- Helping protect your organs and tissues.
How much water do I need to drink?
We’re constantly losing water, whether we sweat it out, go to the washroom, or spend time outdoors in the cold (Yes! That steam is you losing water). In order to live a healthy life and for your body to do its job, its important to drink up throughout the day.
Alright, lets dive into the numbers! For an average adult living in a somewhat warm climate its been determined that a good amount of daily fluid intake should be as follows:
- Range of 124 oz (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
- Range of 92 oz (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
Many people have heard of drinking about 8 cups of water a day, well, it’s a good amount to drink.
Majority of us stay hydrated by drinking different kinds of beverages, whether it’s a sports drink, sipping on coffee or even tea. Some people can get away with less than 8 cups of water a day while others may require more, in some cases much more.
There are many different reasons why you may need more water or less, consider the following when making these changes:
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Activity level – If you’re active you’ll need to drink up, sweating (summer) or evaporating (winter) will incur more water loss. It’s a good idea to drink regularly before, throughout and afterwards.
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Weather – If you live at a high altitude, once again you’ll need to ensure you have adequate hydration. Especially if the weather is warm, its safe to say even in winter you could suffer from dehydration.
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General health – You’ve heard the doctor say to drink plenty of fluids when you’re sick, that’s because fever, diarrhea, even vomiting will all contribute to water and nutrient loss. Things like Pedialyte are very helpful, electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade if you can’t keep the water down.
- Mother & Baby – For those who are pregnant or if you’re breastfeeding, chances are you most likely need additional intake of water and fluids in general. Staying hydrated is important x 2 for baby and you.
The good new is no, water isn’t the only thing that can help meet your hydration requirements. Food is another source of hydration, consider cucumbers, watermelons, pineapples and so on are almost all water when taken into weight considerations.
Then you have liquids like juices, teas, even milk which are all composed mostly of water. For our caffeine loving friends, yes, even those drinks like soda and coffee can contribute to your daily water intake needs. Downside, however, is the sugar and other additives. We can all do without the extra calories too.
How much is enough?
You’re good to go if:
- You rarely feel thirsty
- Your urine is colorless or light yellow
- When having a meal or snack.
- When doing physical activity, exercise, or work.
- If you feel thirsty or have a need to drink.
If you’re a healthy adult then you probably won’t have an issue with drinking too much water, there is however, a possibility. High performance athletes or certain sports professionals may drink much more water in order to prevent dehydration during long or intense exercise regiments. Keep in mind when you consume too much water, your kidneys won’t be able to get rid of the extra water. This issue causes the sodium content in your blood to become diluted. This is something called hyponatremia and it can be life-threatening.
Drinking too much water may cause water poisoning, intoxication, or interference of brain function. When you have too much water in the cells, it causes them to swell, in turn this will cause pressure in your head. Common symptoms are confusion, drowsiness, and of course headaches. Should the pressure increases, things may turn worse as it could cause conditions like hypertension (High Blood Pressure) and bradycardia (Low Heart Rate).
An electrolyte you might know called Sodium is the most affected by overhydration, this may lead to a condition called hyponatremia. Sodium is a very important element that helps keep the balance of fluids within cells and outside of them. Should the level drop due to a high amount of water in the body, the fluid gets inside the cells. This creates a problem causing the cells to swell, thereby putting you at risk of having seizures, going into a coma, or possibly dying.