You drink one glass of water, but is it enough for your day? You start wondering how much water you need per day. Tahoe Springs Water answers your questions on this page about the amount of water you need, why you need water, and the best times to drink water to get the most benefits.
Table of Contents
Do I need to drink water every day?
The answer is a definite yes. You have to drink enough water every day, and your body needs it. As you need to eat food every day and breath every second, you need to drink enough water every day.
Everybody needs water for almost every function to work properly. These are some of the essential functions in your body that are impossible without water:Â
- Deliver minerals, oxygen, and nutrients to your cells.
- Balancing body temperature.
- Eliminating bacteria from your body.
- Helping with digestion.
- Balancing blood pressure.
- Cushioning joints.
- Stop constipation.
About %70-%80 of your body is made of water. So it is with your mind, and it is floating in the water. So you need water every day to keep your body fresh and work properly.
The amount you need to drink is different and depends on your conditions. You might have heard about the 8 glasses of water per day. But according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the amount of water you need per day is like this:Â
- Â 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day for women
- 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) a day for men
The above amount is an average amount, and you might need less or more water per day on your conditions. These are some of the items that influence the amount of water you need per day:Â
The area you live in.
According to Eric Ladd and his team’s research, you will need more water in hot climates or weather conditions. You have felt it yourself that you sweat more in hot, dry areas, and the need for water increases. This is true with humid and dry places as you sweat more and lose more water.
Your physical activity per day.
You are a firefighter or a police officer and on your feet for a few years per day compared with a bank manager who has a sedentary desk job. The amount of water these people need is different per day. The more physical activity you have, the more amount of water you need to balance your body.
If the activity is intense, the need for water increases.
Your gender.
Men need more water than women, and it’s due to body differences. As explained in the above section, according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, women need about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day, while men need about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) a day. The amount can decrease or increase to the mentioned factors in this section.
Your physical condition.
If you are expecting or breastfeeding, the need for water increases as you have to cover your baby’s water needs. Your baby is dependent on you for food and hydration, and mothers often forget that as they need enough food for themselves and the baby, they need to drink more water as well.
Your health conditions
.Your health condition is a determining factor of the amount of water you need. If you suffer from any of the following health conditions, you need to drink more water:Â
- Kidney stone.
- Fever.
- Cold.
- Diabetes.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Also, some medicine you take might be diuretics. If you take regular medication, determine if it’s diuretics or not.
How old are you?
The amount of water a six-year-old son needs might be a bit different than the amount a 25-year-old son needs. A child needs less amount of water than a young adult man. The man is different for women as their bodies are different.
The environment you spend your time in.
Consider how much time you are spending indoors and outdoors. The more time you spend under the sun, the more water you need to drink, and the more time you spend in the office, your water needs decrease. The situation intensifies if the weather is hot and dry.
What season are you in?
You already know that you need more water in hot summers and less in cold seasons. You have felt it if you look back. So, consider the season you are in and try to drink enough according to your body’s needs.
Should I only drink water for my hydration?
Water provides most of the hydration you need daily, about %70-%80. But it’s not the only source of hydration. 20% of your hydration is through what you eat, so if you eat food items that are a rich water source, you can increase your hydration. This is a list of them:Â
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Watercress
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Lettuce
- Watermelon
- Peaches
- Broth
- Zucchini
The other beverages also provide hydration, and you can drink them:Â
- milk,
- juice
- herbal teas
- Etc.
If you want to buy and drink beverages from the store, be careful about sugary drinks as they contain large amounts of sugar and additives.
How can I know that I drink enough water per day?
In case you do not drink enough water, you get dehydrated. There are signs and symptoms of dehydration. If you know and recognize them, you will know that you are not drinking enough water. These are rare signs and symptoms of dehydration. If you do not experience them, then you are drinking enough water:Â Â
- You feel thirsty.
- Your urine color is dark.
- Fewer visits to the bathroom.
- Feeling hot.
- Dry mouth.
- Fatigue or tiredness.
- Feeling dizzy.
When should I drink water?
You can drink whenever you want or whenever you feel thirsty. But you might not feel thirsty most often or have a hectic schedule. The truth is that we often forget to drink water, and it leads to not drinking enough water per day. There are a few items of the day that you have control over your time, and it is recommended to drink water.
The first time a good time to drink water is in the morning. You can drink one or two cups right after you wake up as your body has not taken any liquid and might be dehydrated. You feel the thirst in the morning, but you often ignore it. Drinking lukewarm water in the morning is recommended, and it helps you during the day.
The next time is good to drink water is before every meal. This is a time that you access food and water and can answer your needs. Also, if you drink water before your meal, it leads to weight loss. Water is a natural appetite suppressor, and water before a meal can reduce the amount of food you eat. Moreover, sometimes our body mistakes thirst for hunger, which means you are thrifty, but your body feels it is hungry. So if you drink water before your meal, your hydration is balanced, and you can eat less and lose a few pounds.
You can also drink water after your meal. There are different variations of it. Some say it’s helpful and aids digestion, but some say it could imbalance your stomach. It’s up to you to know how you feel after drinking water after your meal.
When you start your day in the morning and work hard until noo, the afternoon slump is unavoidable. You reach for a coffee, but dehydration is a cause for fatigue. If you drink a few cups of water until noon, you can reduce the risk of fatigue and headaches. This is because dehydration is a leading cause of headaches.
If you do exercise or workout, you should drink water before, after, and during your workout. It’s important to drink water before working out to make up for the lost water. Ensure you drink water regularly and smoothly, as gulping water won’t help you and might lead to stomachache.
Are you taking too much water?
Too much of a good or healthy thing won’t be good anymore. It’s true with drinking water. If you drink too much water, these problems could happen:
- Constipation.
- Urinary tract infections
- Kidney stones.
Drinking enough water in Las Vegas.
You have to drink enough water every day, and it’s part of you forever. Tap water in Las Vegas is safe to drink, but the taste is not that good. So it might lead to not drinking enough water and dehydration. You need water from a reliable water company to make sure of your hydration.
Tahoe Springs Water has provided the best of alkaline, spring mountain, and purified drinking water to Las Vegas residents since 1994. Give us a call at +702-903-1433 and order your water option now. Delivery is always free.