It is a universal knowledge that drinking enough water is essential. But how enough is enough? Wondering how much water should you drink? Get to know more about the benefits of drinking water in this article!
Why is it important to drink water?
Obviously, people need to drink water to survive. But have you asked yourself why we really need to drink water? What does it do for our body? And why is it so important?
Water comprises about 60-65% of your body. So it’s important to keep hydrated since more than half of your body is water. Water also helps regulate your body flush wastes, regulate your body temperature to keep you cool, and helps prevent kidney stones and constipation.
On the other hand, dehydration, or lack of water in your body can be very dangerous, as dehydration can cause blood to stop flowing to your major organs. Which is why water is necessary for our survival. Now, the question is, how much water should you drink a day?
Should you really drink 8 glasses of water a day? How much water should you drink daily?
Photo from Freepik
There’s a common notion that in order to keep yourself hydrated and healthy, you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. However, that’s not always accurate.
How much water should you drink in a day?
The amount of water you need to drink daily depends on your age, size, current climate, and the amount of physical activity that you’re doing every day.
So, it’s important to make sure that you and your family are drinking enough water, especially your kids since they can sometimes forget to drink water when they’re playing outside, or when they’re at school.
How much water should you drink daily?
According to Healthline, the amount of water a person needs varies from person to person. There are lots of factors that may affect how much water you should drink a day. The general recommendation is 11.5 cups or 2.7 liters a day for women, while 15.5 cups or 3.6 liters per day for men. The said amount of water also includes other beverages with water, such as tea and juice.
Other factors to consider are your diet, where you live, your environment, your health condition, how active you are, and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you live in a hot, humid, or dry area you will be needing more water than those who live in colder places. Additionally, if you drink lots of caffeinated beverages like coffee, you may need more water to fill the water you lose through extra urination. Furthermore, if your diet includes salty, spicy, or sugary foods, you will be needing to drink more water too. Eating hydrating foods such as fruits and vegetables can be helpful.
Photo from Freepik
It is important to take note of the weather, season, or temperature in a day. If the temperature is warmer, you will need more water than on those days that are cooler. A person who is active during the day may need more water than those who are just sitting at a desk.
The amount of water needed by pregnant and breastfeeding moms differs from those who are not pregnant and breastfeeding. If you are nursing your baby, you will need to drink more water to remain hydrated. Lastly, your overall health is also a factor that needs to be considered when drinking enough water. If you experience vomiting or diarrhea, you will need to drink more water. Same as when you have a health condition like diabetes.
Benefits of drinking water
Drinking enough amount of water is essential for the body to function properly. Aside from that, there are other benefits of drinking water that you should know. Drinking enough water helps you avoid constipation, urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, and skin dehydration.
Drinking cold water benefits
It is beneficial to drink cold water if you are exercising or working out. The benefit of drinking cold water during a workout is it helps keep your body from overheating. According to Healthline, drinking cold water is beneficial in maintaining a lower core temperature.
Benefits of drinking hot water
Drinking plain water at any temperature supports your overall well-being, from your skin to your muscles and joints. But drinking hot water has specific health benefits.
The benefits of drinking hot water are:
- Healthier digestion
- Improve circulation
- Body detoxification
- Weight loss
- Fight colds
- Reduce stress
Just make sure that the tongue can handle the temperature of the water before drinking it.
Does drinking water help lose weight?
Are you trying to lose weight and you heard that drinking plenty of water might help you? Does drinking water help lose weight?
According to a study stated in a Healthline article, drinking plenty of water than usual was linked to losing weight. Drinking more water may increase metabolism and reduce body weight.
Photo from Freepik
How do you know if you need to drink more water?
The first indicator that you have enough water in your system is the color of your urine. Ideally, your urine should be clear, or a very pale yellow. If it’s a darker color, then you’ll need to have more water in your system.
Too much water can also be dangerous, as it can cause an imbalance in the sodium in your body. However, it’s pretty rare for someone to drink so much water that it becomes toxic. The highest risk for this however is for marathon runners or those who engage in endurance sports.
Alternately, if you’re engaging in intense physical activity, then it’s okay to drink sports drinks as these have electrolytes that keep the balance of sodium and water in your body normal.
How can your family get enough water during the day?
In order to make sure your family gets enough water during the day, follow these simple tips:
- Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. It helps hydrate your body, and it’s a good way to start your day.
- Make sure that your kids have a bottle of water with them at all times. They should take several sips of water every hour to help keep them hydrated.
- If you don’t like drinking water, then you can mix it up by adding a slice of lemon to make it taste different. Some people also add cucumber to their drinking water for nutrition.
- During exercise or intense physical activity, always keep yourself hydrated to replace the water you’re losing.
Additional information written by Jobelle Macayan
Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.