Water is essential for life. It's important to consume the right amount of fluid to be healthy. However, there are lots of mixed messages about how much, and what to drink and this can be confusing.
Why do You Need Water?
We need water to help regulate temperature, transport nutrients and compounds in the blood, remove waste products and act as a lubricant and shock absorber in our joints.
Water is lost in urine and in sweat and is also being lost throughout the day. To avoid dehydration, you need to replace this fluid regularly with fluids from food and drinks. ‘Fluid’ includes not only water from the tap or in a bottle, but also other drinks that provide water such as tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices and soft drinks. We also take water from the food we eat.
What happens when you get dehydrated?
If you don’t consume enough fluids, over time the body becomes dehydrated. Studies have shown that at about 1% dehydration (equivalent of 1% of body weight water loss) there are negative effects on mental and physical function, and these become more severe as the dehydration gets worse. Symptoms of mild dehydration include a dry mouth, headaches and poor concentration.
When the body detects that more water is needed the first thing that happens is that the kidneys reduce the amount of water lost in the urine. This means that the colour of the urine becomes darker and you can use the colour of your urine to tell if you are well hydrated - urine should be a pale yellow colour. If it’s darker, then you need more fluid. Thirst kicks in when the body is already a little dehydrated, so it is important to drink when you’re thirsty.
How Much do You Need?
The amount of fluid you need depends on many things including the weather, how much physical activity we do and our age. It is generally accepted that we should drink between 6-8 glasses of fluid per day. If the weather is hot or you are exercising, you may need to drink more fluid.
Do some people need more water than others?
Needs vary from one person to the next, but there are certain groups who may need to pay particular attention to hydration. Children need plenty of fluid, despite their smaller body size, and they should be encouraged to drink regularly, especially if they are very active. Older adults may have a weaker sense of thirst and, if necessary, should be helped and encouraged to drink regularly.
Sports Drinks when Exercising
Physical activity increases the amount of fluid you need to consume, to replace the water you lose – sweat and the amount lost depends on how long you're active, how intense the activity is and the weather. Start your exercise routine well hydrated and choose to drink at intervals during activity.
Water is okay after moderate exercise and the majority of active people do not need special sports drinks to stay hydrated. However, for high intensity exercise that lasts more than 1 hour, drinks that contain some sugars and salt, may be better at replacing the extra fluid lost as sweat.
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This is very timely, as I was aware of having slipped into my old ways of drinking more tea and coffee than water.
I am making a concerted effort to reverse that from today.
Thanks. Yes, it is easy to get into the habit of drinking too much tea and coffee, lucky I don't like either.
Herbal teas are good and count towards your 6-8 cups a day. We must all remember to stay hydrated particularly in the hot summer months, but it is also easy to go too much the other way, and drink too much water.
We must balance our fluid intake out.
Before the world changed I drank plenty of water, but lately I've been drinking more exotic, if you know what I mean.
Of course, I still pour more water into my body than anything else. It's the only prescription I have that doesn't need a doctor's signature.
Thanks Tim. Yes, I hope that as things become easier and less stressful (for us all) we do pull back into something that resembles 'normal.'
When the virus first hit, my head was in a vice for the first two months. Autism made my thinking around the virus worse.
On a question of water, bottled, filter or tap?
I usually drink bottled water, Ilana. I also workout every other day, so I never deprive myself of H2O; I never leave home without it.
Sounds good Tim. Love that even in these times of stress, you still manage to stay healthy by drinking water and keeping fit.