This post contains affiliate links.
If your body is almost 60% water, how much do you need to drink during the day? And why does staying hydrated really matter? Did you know that brain fog, poor concentration, low energy, headaches, and load of other health issues can be fixed just by drinking water? I’m going to show you why 8 cups per day is a myth and how much you really should be drinking to optimize your health so you can function your best.
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, in order to stay hydrated, average sedentary people should consume 11-15 cups of water per day.
- Women need 91 oz water per day (more than 11 cups)
- Men need 125 oz water per day (more than 15 cups)
Before you freak out
Let me point out that you can get up to 20% of your water from the food you eat. That gets you a little closer to 8 cups per day, but not quite. Even if these average people were getting 20% of their water from food, women would still need 9 cups a day while men would need 12. And that’s for sedentary people.
New Here? I’m here to help you make sense of all the health and fitness info out there and create a simple, healthy lifestyle you love, even if you don’t know what that looks like yet!
- 5 Day Movement Habit Challenge (FREE!)
- 1 Week (FREE!) Getting Started with Cardio Program
- The Monthly Meal Planner eBook (FREE!)
- Join the Making Sense of a Healthy Life Community (FREE!)
- Creating Crucial Habits 4 Week Program
- Book a 15 minute Coaching Consultation here to learn how I can help you rebuild your health and fitness and create a healthy lifestyle that works for you.
Factors that Affect Hydration
There are several major factors that will affect how much you need to drink and that amount may fluctuate each day.
- Current health: If you’re sick, you need more water. You lose more water than normal through fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, bladder infections and urinary tract stones. Water also helps your body heal faster.
- Where you are geographically: You need more water in hot and humid weather or if you are at a high elevation (5,000 feet and up)
- Your activity level for that day: The more active you are, the more water you need to replace what’s lost through sweat and respiration
- What you’ve eaten that day: If you eat a lot of high sodium foods (packaged, processed food or chips, crackers, etc.) you’re going to need more water.
- If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding: Pregnant and breastfeeding women need more water. Pregnant women should consume more than 12 cups (101 oz) per day. Breastfeeding women need a full gallon – 16 cups or 128 oz.
Read More:
5 Things You Need to Know About Water and Exercise
Everything You Need to Know About Breastfeeding and Exercise
As you can see, if any of these factors are present, you’ll need to drink MORE water. So, even if you shoot for 8 cups per day, you could still be walking around mildly dehydrated.
Signs of Dehydration
But wait, if you’re mildly dehydrated, wouldn’t your body tell you that it’s thirsty? Not always. People who are chronically dehydrated – even mildly dehydrated – often lose the sensation of thirst and mistake it for hunger. Other ways your body might be trying to tell you it’s dehydrated are:
- Dry mouth
- Bad breath
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Altered mood
- Decreased concentration (Fun fact: In a recent study, dehydrated drivers made the same number of mistakes as drunk drivers!)
- Dizziness
You can also check your urine to tell if you’re dehydrated. If it’s bright or dark yellow, you’re dehydrated. If it’s light yellow to clear, you’re doing great!
How to Get Hydrated
So 8 cups per day is too little for the average person. I’m sure you aren’t thrilled to hear that. A lot of people struggle to even meet that goal. But here’s the thing. Remember that list of ways your body is trying to tell you that you’re dehydrated? How often do you walk around feeling blah or even downright awful? You guessed it, I’m telling you that you can fix that simply by drinking more water. Keep that in mind when you need a little motivation!
So now what?
Let’s personalize your water goal first.
Drink half your bodyweight in oz each day.
For example, a 150 lb person would aim to drink 75 oz, or just over 9 cups per day. From there you can add in an extra cup or two when needed.
How can you drink more water?
Here are some of my favorite tricks. If you pick just a few of them you will get you to your goal with little to no extra effort.
- Drink a big glass first thing in the morning (1-2 cups)
- Get a fun cup with a big straw and sip on it throughout the day (1-4 cups)
- Drink a cup of water with every meal and in between meals (5-6 cups)
- Drink water before, during and after exercise (3 cups)
- Set an hourly reminder on your phone (9+ cups)
- Drink a cup if you feel hungry (1+ cups)
- Drink a cup of chamomile tea before bed (1-2 cups)
See? You could pick one to three of these ideas and hit your goal easy!
But I Don’t Like Water!
I know, plain, clear water might be best for your body but it’s pretty bland. I have some great news for you. Coffee, tea, milk, juice, and sports drinks (like Gatorade) can all count toward your goal. You heard me. Caffeinated coffee and tea count (but not energy drinks like Monster and Red Bull – those are full of not good for you stuff). I still recommend trying to make water your main liquid since it’s the most direct, useable form of liquid for your body. Plus it’s calorie free and won’t negatively affect your body at all. Try some of these ideas to help you enjoy your water more:
- Add lemon, lime, cucumber, mint or other herbs and frozen berries to make infusions
- Start your morning with a detox drink – a squeeze of lemon and a few slivers of ginger in hot water is my favorite!
- Try herbal teas hot or iced – they’re pretty much flavored water.
- Mix a little Natural Calm into your water – it’s a nice way to de-stress midday.
Did you know?
Hydration is just one of the 4 Crucial Habits that you need to fully optimize your health so you can achieve all your health and fitness goals! Sleep, Stress Management, and Daily Movement all work with Hydration to help you feel and function your best.
Want to try out one of the other Crucial Habits?
Plug in your email to get a taste of how amazing Daily Movement can make you feel:
Ready to dive in to the 4 Crucial Habits and start feeling like the Superhero you are?
What has worked to help you stay hydrated? Let me know in the comments! And be sure to Pin this for later!
References
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
This article is intended to provide information to foster healthy eating habits in otherwise healthy populations and is not intended to diagnose any medical conditions, nor prescribe diets or supplements to treat medical or clinical conditions or their symptoms. This article is not meant to be a substitute for sound medical evaluation and advice. If you suspect you have a nutrient deficiency, food sensitivity or allergy, or are experiencing any issues with your health or diet, meet with your Physician, or a Licensed/Certified Nutritionist, or Registered Dietician for a personalized analysis. Any use of this information is at the reader’s own risk. View my full Disclaimer here.