How many fluid ounces of water per day

If a baby goes 3 or more hours without a wet diaper, this can also be a sign of dehydration. In addition to feeling thirsty, dehydrated adults may feel fatigued, dizzy, or confused. But the easiest way to know if you're getting dehydrated is to check the color of your urine, says Davy.

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Our stories are reviewed by medical professionals to ensure you get the most accurate and useful information about your health and wellness. For more information, visit our medical review board. How much water you are supposed to drink a day varies on your age, activity level, and where you live, so you may need more, or less, than 8 cups a day.

A better way to think about hydration, according to the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine NASEM , is to get enough fluids in the day and not just glasses of water. You're pregnant or breastfeeding: Pregnant people need more water to encourage improved circulation, increased calorie intake, and other physiological processes to support the growth of their baby.

Breastfeeding people need extra water to support breast milk production. Different people follow different rules for hydrating. These four common guidelines can help you stay hydrated no matter what kind of lifestyle you have. Drink when you're thirsty: There's some controversy surrounding this method. Some health professionals say you shouldn't overcomplicate hydration and your body tells you when it needs water.

Others say waiting until you're thirsty is waiting too long -- that you're already dehydrated when you feel thirst. Some people seem to have stronger thirst mechanisms than others, so this method may or may not work for you.

Drink a glass before meals and between meals: This isn't bad advice. Structuring water intake around a ritual like mealtime can ingrain hydration as a habit. However, your total water intake will vary depending on how many meals you eat. If you eat three meals, you'll drink five glasses of water according to this rule, which may not be enough unless they're big glasses.

If you don't have a routine eating pattern, this rule probably won't work for you. Drink eight glasses a day: Again, one-size-fits-all health advice rarely works for all people. If you feel adequately hydrated on 64 ounces of water each day, that's great.

If you feel overly hydrated clear pee and very frequent urination , cut back slightly. If you feel dehydrated dark pee, headaches, infrequent urination , eight glasses may not be enough for you.

Drink half your bodyweight in ounces: This is a simple guideline that's easy to remember and usually easy to achieve.

If you weigh pounds, aim to drink 75 ounces of water each day. This is the only rule of thumb that accounts for different body sizes, but it doesn't account for thirst, climate, activity level or other factors. Experiment with hydration techniques to find what works for you. So now that you know how much water you should be drinking every day, let's talk about how to make sure you actually get enough.

Drinking over ounces of water may seem impossible at first, but with these easy tips you can reach your goal in no time.

Water is essential for our bodies to functions correctly and efficiently. Most of us know this, but do you actually know why water is so important. Here are the main benefits of staying hydrated:. However, the benefits of drinking water can help support and encourage weight loss. First, water helps us to feel full and satiated.

Many people actually report feeling hungry when they are in fact dehydrated. Another added benefit of drinking water is that it is less likely that someone will overeat.

When your stomach is filled with liquid from drinking water, it is less likely you will eat too much or mindlessly snack throughout the day. Lastly, if you are focused on drinking more water, you are less likely to reach for sugary drinks and beverages with empty calories. Swapping in water for higher calorie beverages is a great way to lose weight. Pretty much all liquids count towards your daily water intake goals. This includes sparkling water, juice, milk, tea, coffee, smoothies, and even soda and diet soda.

However, the best and most affordable option is always plain water. And it better for your body than other beverages according to this Harvard study. A few notes about caffeine. For a long time, people believed that drinking caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea, actually counted against your daily water intake since they are diuretics. However, recent studies suggest that this might not actually be the case. One other important note, food also contributes to your daily water goals.

Since this can be hard to track, just think of food as extra water you are having every day instead of trying to track it. Many people wonder if there is actually a point where you can drink too much water. There are some rare cases of someone over-hydrating, known as hyponatremia. However, it is very rare and usually only seen in endurance athletes who are over-drinking while doing very intense exercise or in older adults with certain health conditions.

Water poisoning or water intoxication is a condition where someone drinks too much water in a short period of time and their cells become imbalanced due to a loss of sodium.

It is a serious condition but extremely rare. General guidelines suggest that you shouldn't drink more than ounces of water per hour. Any type of water challenge could potentially be dangerous and it is always best to listen to your body. At the most basic level, you should be drinking enough water every day that you do not show any symptoms of dehydration and that your body is functioning well.

There is no exact number for everyone since it varies based on your body, activity level, diet, climate, and more. Generally speaking, doctors recommend that you get at least 6 cups of water daily at a minimum but most people should be drinking more than that.

One easy indicator is urine. Your urine should be fairly frequent and like yellow or clear in color. Darker or smelly urine is an indicator of dehydration and usually indicated you should be drinking more water. Water can have a huge impact on energy levels.

People who are dehydrated report feeling more tired, sluggish, and lethargic. Staying hydrated helps keep your cells functioning properly and helps energy levels stay high. In fact, it is one of the most recommended tips for boosting energy levels quickly. Water and proper hydration have been shown to greatly benefit brain function. Specifically, staying hydrated can boost mood and mood stability, improve concentration, improve cognition, aid memory, prevent headaches, and even reduce stress.

To help people have a tangible amount of water to focus on, there was a push to recommend that the average person drink 8 glasses of water by 8 PM daily.

This would mean that you drank at least 64 ounces of water daily. There is no solid evidence suggesting that this is, in fact, the right amount, but it is probably a good recommendation for a minimum amount. Depending on your lifestyle, body type, diet, age, and more - this will vary.