The truth about how much water you really need to drink each day
We’ve all heard the advice about needing to drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water every day. But is it accurate? Actually, the question of how much water should you drink every day is bit more complicated than following a simple saying. Guidelines set by the Institute of Medicine recommend 91 ounces (approximately 2.7 liters) of water for women and 125 ounces (about 3.7 liters) of water for men each day. That doesn’t mean you need to start chugging down liters of water. All the fluids you ingest, including the liquid in your food, count towards satisfying your hydration needs. That makes figuring out exactly how much water you should drink each day a little more difficult.
How to figure out how much water you should drink every day
Researchers estimate that most people derive 80 percent of their total water intake from drinking water and other beverages. The other 20 percent comes from food. Based on those estimates, women should drink approximately 73 ounces or nine 8-ounce glasses of water each day. For men, those numbers are 100 ounces or 12.5 8-ounce glasses of water.
If you’re trying to calculate how many water bottles should you drink per day, you need to factor in the size of your water bottles. The most common water bottles hold 16.9 oz., so that works out to around 4 bottles of water for women, or 6 bottles for men per day.
Factors that affect how much water you should drink each day
It is important to remember that these numbers are just general guidelines. Several factors can affect the amount of water you need to drink. Exercise, especially intense exercise such as running a marathon or playing an extended sports game, will deplete your fluids and increase the amount of water you need to drink.
Other factors that can increase your need for liquids include hot or humid weather, illness, high altitudes, and pregnancy or nursing a child. It is possible to drink too much water, so remember that the other liquids you drink count towards satisfying your water needs.
Why it matters if you drink enough water every day
Drinking enough water is essential for your health, especially if you have certain health conditions. Making sure you are well-hydrated can reduce your chances of developing diabetes, urinary tract infections, and kidney stones. Drinking water also boosts your metabolism and can help you keep your weight under control. One study found people who drank a glass of water before meals ate 75 fewer calories per meal – that adds up to 27,000 fewer calories a year and a weight loss of eight pounds!
How to make sure you are drinking enough water every day
The next time you ask yourself, “how many bottles of water should I drink a day,” listen to what your body tells you. Your body is pretty good at letting you know if you are drinking enough water. If you are thirsty or have dark yellow urine, it is a sign that you are under-hydrated and need to grab an extra bottle of water. If you are rarely thirsty and your urine is light yellow or colorless, you are probably drinking enough water each day.
You can find tips on how to drink more water, tasty water-infusion recipes, and helpful advice on other health issues by looking through our site, www.BetterHealthKare.com