Be honest: Do you actually drink eight glasses of water every single day? Would you even know if you did? The truth is, you probably have no idea how much water you drink daily; it’s not something people normally keep careful track of. Even better: you probably don’t have to.
If you’re not carefully monitoring your water intake or living by the “eight-glasses-a-day” maxim, that really isn’t such a horrible health sin. In fact, Doctors say that “there’s really no science” behind the “completely arbitrary” eight-glasses rule. Different people should be consuming different amounts of water regularly. As a more precise guideline, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recommended that men get a total of 3.7 liters per day and that women get 2.7 liters. That’s 125 ounces, or about 15 and a half cups, for men and 91 ounces, or about 11 cups, for women. This is also dependent on your height, weight, nutritional diet and exercise.
While this is a good guideline, there’s no need for you to start measuring out your glasses of water every time you have a drink. Ninety to 125 ounces may seem like a lot of water, but you’re probably already getting somewhere in that realm every day already. Your thirst instinct is very reliable, says New York City MD Niel Shultz, dermatologist and creator of BeautyRx. By not over hydrating you should trust your thirst and make sure you’re drinking to quench your thirst and let your body do the rest. Drinking to satisfy your thirst is best way to maintain a healthy hydration system for your body, doctors advise.
The best way to keep yourself hydrated is to keep an eye out for common signs. So long as you don’t find yourself excessively thirsty, and your urine a yellow color, you’re probably getting sufficient hydration. Water intake helps brighten and plump dull skin, makes your nails and hair healthier, and overall makes you feel and look better.
Another helpful thought is the fact that “water intake” doesn’t necessarily translate to the exact amount of water you drink. Any fluid you drink, be it coffee, tea, milk or tea; or water filled foods like watermelon and radishes contributes to your daily intake of water.