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With brand-name bottle fads\u00a0and gallon-a-day water challenges<\/a>\u00a0trending on TikTok, hydration<\/a> is in, and that\u2019s good news for health. The average human body is more than 60% water. Water makes up almost two-thirds of your brain and heart, 83% of your lungs, 64% of your skin, and even 31% of your bones. It\u2019s involved in almost every process that keeps you alive. So if you\u2019ve hopped on the water-drinking bandwagon, you\u2019re doing yourself a big solid.<\/p>\n \u201cWater is essential for your body\u2019s survival,\u201d says Crystal Scott<\/a>, registered dietitian-nutritionist with Top Nutrition Coaching. \u201cIt helps regulate your temperature, transports nutrients, removes waste, lubricates your joints and tissues, and it also plays a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of electrolytes and fluids in your body.\u201d<\/p>\n You lose water when you breathe, sweat, urinate, and metabolize food and drink into energy<\/a>. If you don\u2019t replace that fluid, your health can go downhill, and fast. Without food, your body can keep ticking for as long as three weeks or more. But without water, you\u2019ll die in only a few days. There\u2019s just too many systems that depend on it.<\/p>\n \u201cI like to correlate our bodies with planet earth,\u201d says Scott. \u201cOur earth is made up of a large percentage of water. If that amount got too low, what would happen to our food systems? Our forests? Animal life? It\u2019s a domino effect.\u201d<\/p>\n To keep that first domino from falling, she says, drink up.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the starter when looking at any form of change or issues with your nutrition or your lifestyle\u2014assess water intake first and foremost,\u201d says Scott. \u201cIt helps with fullness cues, it can improve cognitive function, mood, physical performance, and can prevent health problems like constipation, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections. It\u2019s one of the foundational building blocks.\u201d<\/p>\n Bottom line: Water is life. But how much should you be downing daily not just to survive, but thrive?<\/p>\n The common rule of thumb you\u2019ve likely heard is the 8\u00d78 rule: Drink eight 8-ounce cups of water a day. If you\u2019re achieving that, you\u2019re doing well, says Scott. But it\u2019s possible you could benefit from some adjustments.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think that amount is necessarily wrong, but I think research over time has definitely evolved,\u201d she says. \u201cWater recommendations are going to vary depending on age, sex, and activity level.\u201d<\/p>\n Your intake recommendation may vary based on life circumstances too. For example, if you live in a hot and humid climate, get a lot of physical activity<\/a>, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding, you may need more water daily than the average adult.\u00a0Your doctor can help guide you.<\/p>\n The National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine recommends an average daily water intake of about 125 ounces for men and about 91 ounces for women. If you\u2019re not filling up a water bottle<\/a> to exactly that amount every day, you\u2019re probably still close or even over, because you also get water from food, says Scott.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can get a lot of hydration from foods like celery, oranges, strawberries, watermelon, and cucumbers,\u201d she says. \u201cAll are hydrating foods that can actually help supplement your water intake.\u201d<\/p>\n Although it\u2019s rare, it is possible to drink too much water<\/a>. It\u2019s a condition called hyponatremia, and it happens when the amount of water in your system overwhelms your kidneys and they can\u2019t keep up with a normal filtration rate. The sodium content of your blood becomes dangerously diluted and causes your cells to swell. Certain health conditions such as kidney failure and congestive heart failure put you at higher risk of it, and some high-level athletes may experience it if they don\u2019t replace their electrolytes<\/a> after exercising.<\/p>\n For the majority of the population, the bigger issue is getting enough water. While it\u2019s helpful to keep tabs on actual ounces, the best indicator of whether you\u2019re well hydrated is your body. When you don\u2019t get enough water, your body will show certain signs.<\/p>\n \u201cUrine color is a really great indicator of hydration status,\u201d says Scott. If your toilet water is pale yellow or clear after you pee, you\u2019re golden. Dark yellow or amber colored urine are signs your body needs fluids.<\/p>\n Headaches<\/a>, migraines, bad sleep, constipation, dizziness, and feeling light-headed or confused can also be symptoms of dehydration. When in doubt, head to the spout.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re committing yourself to hydration optimization, Scott recommends starting slow. First, take stock of where you are, and then set a goal for where you want to be.<\/p>\n \u201cHalf your body weight in ounces is a great starting point,\u201d she says. \u201cSo for someone who\u2019s 200 pounds, our first goal would be 100 ounces. And let\u2019s say they\u2019re only drinking 20 ounces of fluid a day. So every week, we\u2019d want to increase about eight to 10 ounces a week, slow and steady. Because if you do hydrate too quickly, people can feel really waterlogged.\u201d<\/p>\n Other handy tips Scott suggests:<\/p>\n More nutrition tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nHow many ounces of water should I drink a day?<\/h2>\n
How much water is too much?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How do I know if I\u2019m drinking enough water?<\/h2>\n
Tips for getting your daily fill<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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