Hydration

How Much Water Should We Drink?

It’s one of the most often-asked questions of all time – just how much water should we be drinking on an average day? This article will cut through the myths that surround the correct level of fluid intake, and help you keep your body firing on all cylinders!

Knowing how much we should be drinking over the course of a day is a balancing act. Failing to drink enough fluid is dangerous; as our bodies lose water it needs to be replaced, as failing to do so leaves us at risk of dehydration. With just some of the side effects of this including foggy thinking, exhaustion and feeling irritable that can put a real cramp on anybody’s day.

When we factor the potential for damage and even failure of our internal organs into the mix there are a great many reasons why it should be avoided at all costs. The question remains, though – just how much water should we be drinking in order to stay safe and healthy?

According to the NHS, anybody living in the conventional British climate should be looking to consume around 1.2 litres of water per day. This translates to between six and eight glasses, depending on the size of the vessel that you are sipping from.

This is also not taking other factors into consideration, such as a typical exercise regime. The more we move around, the more water we lose from our bodies through perspiration and other sources – and what leaves our body needs to be replaced. This is why it’s hugely important we train ourselves to get into a routine of drinking water with regularity.

Now, ask yourself a simple question – do you honestly find yourself stopping what you’re doing and taking in a glass of water roughly every two hours? However, the chances are that you do consume some form of liquid every couple of hours – whether that takes the shape of coffee or tea, fizzy drinks, or a glass of wine of beer to relax and unwind in the evening. Switching out just one of these drinks for water, or even green tea, can make all the difference.

Another popular theory is that we should drink within proportion of our body weight; it’s believed that we should drink 67% of our weight in lbs converted to oz. The average British man is believed to stand at 5’9 and weighs around 13.16 stones, which translates to roughly 185 lbs. The average woman is believed to be 5’3 tall and 11 stones – approximately 154 lbs.

From this data, our typical male should be drinking 124 oz of water – that’s a staggering 3.5 litres per day, more than twice the NHS recommendation. Using the figures above, a typical woman should be taking in around 100 oz, which is 2.8 litres – still far more than we are led to believe is safe, and this is without taking into consideration the additional fluid recommended for anybody with an active lifestyle.

Now, perhaps it’s worth noting that this theory gained a great deal of credence in the United States, where many territories have a considerably hotter climate than good old Blighty. All the same, this kind of misinformation is potentially very harmful.

Drinking too much fluid can be just as harmful as allowing your body to go thirsty, with water poisoning (aka hyperhydration) being a very real risk. The symptoms of this condition are actually similar to dehydration, which could lead to somebody assuming that they are still thirsty and drinking more and more, simply adding to the problem. It’s so important that we are sensible and safe with our water intake.

This ensures that you will never lapse into a state of dehydration – or even simple thirst. As you can imagine, HydrateM8 take the importance of water very seriously – using one of these patented bottles will come with an assurance of quality!

Whilst there are NHS guidelines to the amount of water you should drink, a great deal does depend on your physiology, your level of exercise and other contributing factors, such as illnesses and other medical conditions. The statistics quoted are all based on healthy men and women of average height and acceptable weight, with a moderate level of exercise. As stated, intake of water should increase if you engage in strenuous workouts daily, or work/live in extremely hot conditions. It is wise if in doubt to seek the advice from your medical practitioner.

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