How Much Water You Should Be Drinking Every Day

The average human body is made up of 60 percent water, which highlights how important it is for us to stay hydrated. Over the course of growing up, we’ve been told by our parents or guardians that we should be drinking at least eight glasses of water per day, but how accurate is that? 

In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of water to the functionality of our bodies, the benefits gained from staying properly hydrated, the consequences of not drinking enough water, and how much water we should actually be drinking per day.

The Importance of Water

Day and night, our bodies are constantly losing water, whether through sweating, breathing, or digestion. However, nearly all of our body’s major organs and systems depend on water to not only function properly but also survive. Water has a significant impact on our lives and carries a vast array of benefits you may not have thought about. 

Here are the main ways water works inside our bodies and why it’s so important:

1. Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells - water plays a vital role in the body as a carrier of nutrients like glucose, blood plasma, metabolic products, various byproducts, and more.

2. Lubricates and protects joints and tissues - water also helps lubricate and protect our joints, tissues, and the spinal cord. This helps reduce any discomfort we might have, allowing us to be more physically active.

3. Flushes out waste products - in addition to transporting the appropriate nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, water also excretes waste products out of our body through perspiration, urination, and defecation.

4. Regulates body temperatures - staying properly hydrated helps us maintain our normal healthy body temperature, as our bodies release heat by sweating, or the evaporation of water from the surface of the skin.

5. Helps boost our energy levels - water also helps boost energy levels by preventing symptoms of dehydration like tiredness and fatigue. Drinking water has also been shown to help boost your metabolism, which in turn has a positive effect on energy levels.

6. Aids in weight loss/management - staying hydrated also helps you feel more satisfied and full between meals. In fact, a study done on the effects of water on weight found that drinking additional glasses of water before each meal resulted in a reduction in people’s body weight, BMI, and body composition.

The Consequences of Being Dehydrated

As you can see, water is incredibly important in maintaining good health, and can help with almost everything going on in your body. Drinking water and staying hydrated also has numerous other benefits, but those are the main ones. 

But what happens if you don’t drink enough water? Being dehydrated can cause a whole host of problems, so let’s take a look at the consequences of not staying hydrated below.

1. Persistent headaches or migraines - one of the first and most common symptoms people experience when they become dehydrated is the emergence of a throbbing headache or even an intense migraine. Dehydration headaches also come with other symptoms, such as a dry mouth, dizziness, and extreme thirst.

2. Slow bowel movements - according to Dr. Moghaddam of Henry Ford Health, being dehydrated most likely leads to hard stool and constipation, which can in turn result in abdominal pain or discomfort along with cramps.

3. Dull or dry skin - Dehydration can also come in the form of dry or ashy skin. Your skin complexion may look uneven and fine lines may start to appear or become even more noticeable. This is because water has a direct impact on your skin’s elasticity and plumpness.

4. Fatigue or low energy levels - energy levels may also plummet when you’re dehydrated. When your body loses fluid and electrolytes more quickly than they are replaced, it won’t be able to function efficiently, and your blood pressure will drop due to reduced blood flow and poor circulation to your brain.

5. Mood swings - dehydration has been linked to both depression and anxiety, as well as brain fog. Since mental health is driven primarily by the brain, when you're dehydrated, your brain cannot function properly and slows down, which can lead to irritability or mood swings.

6. Higher chances of overeating - confusing thirst for hunger is common and leads to us eating more, when in reality, all we need to do is drink more water. Staying hydrated can help you stay fuller for longer and it can also help you distinguish whether or not you’re actually hungry or just thirsty.

Now that we’ve explored the various benefits of drinking water and staying hydrated, and have understood the consequences of dehydration, let’s go through how much water people should actually be drinking a day.

How Much Water Should I Be Drinking Every Day?

As previously mentioned, hydration is critically important to well-being. Maintaining your recommended daily intake will help you sustain your current state of good health and could also improve it in the long run. 

However, the amount of water you need depends on these factors:

• The environment and climate you live in
• How physically active you are
• Whether you are suffering from an illness, ailment, or any other health problems

Nevertheless, the Mayo Clinic recommends a minimum of 11-15 cups of water a day. And Forbes Health has created a chart from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies to outline how to determine how much water you should be drinking a day

Stay Hydrated with Singha Water 

With our fast-paced work environments, it’s easy to forget to do the simple things and neglect the necessities of life like drinking enough water and staying hydrated. With Singha Online, you can order water right to your doorstep.

At Singha Online, we have a diverse range of Singha water bottle sizes to choose from:

• Singha Water 300 ml
• Singha Water 600 ml
• Singha Water 750 ml
• Singha Water 1.5 L
• Singha Water 6 L
• Singha Water 19 L 
• And more

In addition to a variety of sizes of water bottles to help you stay hydrated anywhere, anytime, we also have soda waters, flavored zero-calorie sodas, and more. Check out our extensive range of water bottle sizes at Singha Online today.