How Much Water Do I Really Need to Drink Every Day?

 

The average person has a body that is composed of about 60% water (not 90% as is often incorrectly asserted). All that water does a lot more than just sit there sloshing around. Water is crucial for many reasons: to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.

You body doesn't just hold onto its water though. Quite the opposite. It is constantly expelling it through urination, respiration, digestion and perspiration. When the body loses more water than it takes in, we become dehydrated. As you might imagine this can become quite serious if not remedied. Among the symptoms of dehydration are headache, delirium, confusion, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, high heart rate with low blood pressure, muscle cramps, chills, constipation, confusion and anxiety. Quite a list. 

A person can survive as long as 2 months without food. But without water only 3 or 4 days.

As you can see, getting enough water to stay hydrated is pretty important. But how much do you need, exactly?

The popular wisdom is that we all need eight cups of water every day for optimal health. But there’s no evidence to suggest that consistently drinking eight glasses of water a day is needed

The reality is that each person’s water intake needs vary, and depends on a number of factors, including your age, how much exercise you get, the weather conditions where you are, what you eat, and other health conditions you might have. Taking all these factors into account, the purported eight glasses a day just doesn’t work for most people. 

So how much do you need to take in every day? The answer is surprisingly simple. Here it is.