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About 60 to 70 percent of the human body is made up of water. Water plays the most important role in controlling our body temperature, maintaining flexibility in joints, improving digestion and delivering nutrients to the cells. Often people believe that they should drink water only when they feel thirsty, but according to medical science, feeling thirsty is a sign that your body has already become 1 to 2 percent dehydrated. Not drinking the right amount of water causes many problems like headache, fatigue, constipation, kidney stones and dryness in the skin. Let us know how much water a normal adult should drink in a day and what are the easy ways to keep the body always hydrated.
How much water should one drink in a day? Know the rule of weight and need
Traditionally, it is advised to follow the ‘8×8 rule’ i.e. drinking 8 glasses (about 2 litres) of water daily. However, according to the National Academy of Medicine and health experts, each person’s water needs are different depending on their age, weight, gender and physical activity:
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For normal men: almost every day 3.7 liters (Approximately 12 to 15 glasses) Total fluids (including water and other beverages) required.
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For normal women: almost every day 2.7 liters (about 9 to 11 glasses) total fluid is considered adequate.
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Exact formula by weight: You can also decide the amount of water based on your weight. Divide your body weight (in kilograms) by 30. For example, if your weight is 60 kg, you must drink at least $60 / 30 = 2$ liters of water a day. Add 500 ml to 1 liter additional water to it while working out or being in hot sun.
Major signs of dehydration
If you are feeling the following symptoms, understand that your body is demanding water:
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Dark color of urine: If the color of urine is dark yellow or brown, it is a sign of severe dehydration. Light yellow or transparent color indicates proper hydration.
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Sudden headache and dizziness: Due to lack of water in the brain tissues, one starts feeling heaviness in the head and slight dizziness.
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Dry mouth and bad breath: Due to reduced production of saliva, bacteria start growing in the mouth.
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Excessive fatigue and lethargy: Feeling weak and sleepy throughout the day even without doing much hard work.
5 easy and effective tips to keep the body hydrated throughout the day
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1. Start the morning with lukewarm water: Drink 1 to 2 glasses of lukewarm water on an empty stomach as soon as you wake up in the morning. It helps in flushing out overnight toxins and activating metabolism.
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2. Eat water-rich fruits and vegetables: Not only plain water, but also include foods like cucumber, watermelon, orange, tomato, cucumber and strawberry in your diet. These contain 85 to 95% water and essential electrolytes.
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3. Consumption of coconut water and buttermilk: Apart from plain water, drink coconut water, lemon water, wood apple juice or buttermilk during the day. They maintain the balance of sodium and potassium in the body.
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4. Water Reminder App or Bottle Tracker: People who are busy at work can set a ‘water reminder’ alarm on the phone or use a timer bottle with markings so that the habit of drinking 1-2 sips of water every hour is maintained.
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5. Limit tea, coffee and cold drinks: Excessive caffeine, tea, alcohol and carbonated soft drinks act as diuretics, causing rapid loss of water from the body. Therefore avoid excessive consumption of them.
Keep these important things in mind while drinking water
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Always drink water while sitting and sip by sip; Drinking water quickly while standing puts pressure on the stomach and joints.
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Do not drink a lot of water immediately before or after eating, as this dilutes the digestive enzymes and the food is not digested properly. It is best to drink water 30 minutes before or 45 minutes after eating.