We’ve all heard the eight-by-eight rule. Eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day is the golden number for staying hydrated and healthy. But that rule doesn’t apply to everyone — especially when factoring age, weight, exercise level and overall health. Read on to find out how much fluid you should consume each day.
Water helps our bodies to:
- Break down and digest food
- Transport nutrients throughout the body
- Remove waste
- Regulate the bowels
- Cushion organs
- Maintain balance of fluids and electrolytes
A tell-tale sign that you haven't been consuming enough fluids is feeling thirsty. It’s important to drink fluids regularly throughout the day because by the time you're feeling thirsty, you're already dehydrated.
Even just mild dehydration can show itself in the following ways: dry lips and mouth, dark-colored urine, fatigue, headache, flushed skin, constipation, dizziness, irritability and muscle cramps.
The body uses between 33 to 51 ounces of water each day, which is why most people benefit from drinking an average of eight glasses of water each day. But if you exercise regularly, live in a hot, humid or elevated environment, are pregnant, or have certain health conditions, you may want to adapt your water intake.
Exercise
If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for fluid loss. An extra one to three cups of water (or other fluids) should suffice for most exercise sessions, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour will require more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise as well as the duration and type of exercise.
Intense Exercise
When engaging in intense exercise, consider drinking a sports drink containing sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Continue to replace fluids after you're finished exercising.
Environment
Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluids. During the winter, heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture. Also, altitudes greater than 8,200 feet may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.
Illnesses or Health Conditions
When you experience fever, vomiting or diarrhea, your body loses additional fluids. In these cases, you should definitely drink more water. Your doctor may also recommend trying Gatorade, Powerade, CeraLyte or other drinks to rehydrate. Increase fluid intake if you develop certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones. On the other hand, some conditions, such as kidney, liver and adrenal diseases or heart failure may impair excretion of water and actually require limiting fluid intake.
Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
For women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, staying hydrated is key. Large amounts of fluid are needed, especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink about 10 cups of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume about 13 cups of fluids a day.
All in all, you’re probably not drinking enough water. Pay attention to your lifestyle and how you’re feeling, and stay consistent with your fluid intake.
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