You already know you can't survive without it. But how much water should you actually drink every day? You may have heard of the "eight glasses a day" rule. While this might be right for some, the truth is there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Staying hydrated starts with knowing your body's specific needs.
How hydration impacts your health
Everybody (and every body) needs water to work properly. Some of the ways it keeps you healthy:
- Eliminating waste through urine, bowel movements and sweat
- Keeping joints healthy and lubricated
- Regulating body temperature
- Aiding with bladder and kidney function
- Improving digestion
- Protecting sensitive tissues
- Keeping skin from drying out
The benefits of increasing your water intake
Some people set a goal to drink a gallon every day. Drinking plenty of water has its advantages. Among them:
- Reduced hunger
- Increased energy
- Smoother, healthier skin
- Balanced body fluids for circulation and digestion
- Improved brain power
- Enhanced agility and body movement
But while there are benefits toguzzling a gallon (128 ounces) of water each day, it’s not a requirement for everyone.
How many ounces of water should the average person drink?
The key to proper hydration: paying attention to your body and learning what it needs.
On average, a healthy adult should take in the following amounts of water per day:
- 125 ounces(15.5 cups or 3.7 liters) for men
- 91 ounces(11.5 cups or 2.7 liters) for women
However, your daily needs can vary based on other factors. You may need to adjust your fluid intake to account for:
- Weather: When it's hot, hydrate more. Warm temperatures can make you sweat, making you lose fluids faster. Higher altitudes can cause dehydration, too.
- Exercise: You lose fluids when you're sweating from being physically active. Drink lots of water before, during and after you exercise.
- Sickness: Fever, vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration. Replenish with plenty of fluids or follow your doctor's recommendations for rehydration.
- Pregnancy: If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, drink extra water. Your body is producing fluids for two.
About 20% of your daily fluid intake will usually come from food, and the rest you get from drinks. If counting how many ounces you're drinking sounds like a chore, don't sweat it. You can start with just listening to your body and drinking when you feel thirsty. Keep a bottle handy so you can quench your thirst throughout the day.
How to tell if you're dehydrated
When dehydrated, your body lacks the fluids needed to carry out normal functions. You might need more water if you notice the following signs of dehydration:
- Lightheadedness or dizzy feeling
- Dry mouth and tongue and cracked lips
- Less frequent need to urinate
- Muscle cramps
- Thirst
- Frequent headaches
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Urine has a darker color
- Eyes more sunken than usual
You can also try the skin test. Pinch one of your knuckles and let go. If you’re dehydrated, the skin will stay raised for a few seconds. If it quickly returns to normal, you’re probably okay.
“While the skin test is useful, it may not be ideal for older people,” says Alex Germano, MD, a Geisinger family medicine physician. “They often have less elastic skin that doesn’t bounce back as easily, but that doesn’t mean they’re dehydrated.”
If you notice any of these signs, the first thing you should do is drink more water.
“If you feel sick and dehydrated, talk to your doctor or pharmacist,” says Dr. Germano. “They can recommend hydration mixes that will restore minerals your body has lost.”
How to stay hydrated
Even when you know water is crucial, new habits don't come easy. Try these easy tips to up your daily water intake:
- Drinking a glass when you wake up
- Eating fruits and vegetables with high water content (e.g., watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, celery and tomatoes)
- Carrying a refillable water bottle and drinking from it throughout the day
- Drinking a glass with every meal
- Flavoring water with lemon or a flavor packet
- Using a tracking app or setting reminders on your phone
Once you know how many ounces of water to aim for, find what works best for your personal lifestyle. For some, taking small, frequent sips to consume water gradually throughout the day is helpful. For others, gulping large amounts at scheduled intervals is a more effective habit. There’s no wrong way to hydrate.
Can you hydrate with other beverages besides water?
"All beverages you drink, including coffee, tea, milk and soda, have a high water content and count toward your intake,” says Dr. Germano. "But go easy on soda and other sweet drinks because they’re filled with sugar and can lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. And be careful with the amount of caffeinated beverages you drink, as caffeine causes you to urinate more and use water faster.”
Drink to your health
Most likely, your normal eating and drinking patterns already keep you hydrated throughout the day. As you estimate how many ounces to drink daily, consider your lifestyle, the weather and your health needs. Let your thirst guide you. Water benefits almost every part of your body, so drink up!
Next steps:
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FAQs
The key to proper hydration: paying attention to your body and learning what it needs. On average, a healthy adult should take in the following amounts of water per day: 125 ounces (15.5 cups or 3.7 liters) for men. 91 ounces (11.5 cups or 2.7 liters) for women.
How many oz of water should I drink per day? ›
General recommendations
| Age | Daily Adequate Intake |
|---|
| 14-18 years | 8-11 cups, or 64-88 ounces |
| men, 19 and older | 13 cups, or 104 ounces |
| women, 19 and older | 9 cups, or 72 ounces |
| pregnant women | 10 cups, or 80 ounces |
4 more rows“Aim to drink half an ounce for every pound of body weight,” she says. “In other words, divide what you weigh in half and aim to consume that many overall ounces of water daily from a variety of sources.” For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, aim to drink 75 ounces of water a day, which is around nine cups per day.
Is 40 ounces of water a day enough? ›
Girls and boys between ages 4 and 8 years should drink 40 ounces per day, or five cups. This amount increases to 56 to 64 ounces, or 7 to 8 cups, by ages 9 to 13 years. For ages 14 to 18, the recommended water intake is 64 to 88 ounces, or 8 to 11 cups.
How to drink 8 ounces of water a day? ›
Here are some tips for upping your water game:
- Flavor it. Add fruit to your water. ...
- Tie it into a routine. Drink a glass of water every time you brush your teeth, eat a meal or use the bathroom.
- Eat it. ...
- Track it. ...
- Challenge a friend. ...
- Take it to go. ...
- Alternate your drinks.
Adults. The current IOM recommendation for people ages 19 and older is around 131 ounces for men and 95 ounces for women. This refers to your overall fluid intake per day, including anything you eat or drink that contains water, like fruits or vegetables. Of this total, men should get around 13 cups from beverages.
Is 16 oz of water a day enough? ›
For healthy individuals, the average daily water for men is about 15.5 cups and for women about 11.5 cups. That might mean you need only four to six cups of plain water, depending on other fluid sources such as coffee, tea, juice, fruits, and vegetables.
How much water a day is perfect? ›
So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.
How much is 64 ounces of water? ›
“If your goal is to drink 64 ounces (8 cups) of water per day,” says UH registered dietitian Jennifer Kerner, RD, LD, “consider dividing the goal between three periods of the day, which would amount to about 2 to 3 cups in the morning, 2 to 3 cups during the afternoon, and 2 to 3 cups in the evening.”
How much water should I drink a day by age? ›
How much fluid to drink each day
| Infants 0–6 months* | 0.7 litres |
|---|
| Boys 14–18 years | 1.9 litres (about 7–8 cups) |
| Girls 9–13 years | 1.4 litres (about 5–6 cups) |
| Girls 14–18 years | 1.6 litres (about 6 cups) |
| Men 19 years+ | 2.6 litres (about 10 cups) |
9 more rowsWhat about coffee? Some coffees will have a higher caffeine level than others, and obviously more than tea. But the diuretic effect is fairly low in most people, similar to tea. As both tea and coffee do count as water intake, the level of caffeine contained in both drinks shouldn't have any dehydrating effects.
What is the healthiest water to drink? ›
No beating around the bush here. Without a doubt, spring water is the winner. It is considered the best water to drink, providing vital nutrients as it moves through the body. This is, of course, spring water that is bottled at the source and proven to be actual living spring water.
Is 32 oz a day enough water? ›
If you are drinking 32 oz of water a day, it means you are drinking only half the standard recommended amount of water required for adequate hydration. This can lead to dehydration, which can eventually cause various health issues.
How to drink water correctly? ›
You can have large amounts of water at least an hour before and after meal times but not during the meals. Having too much water near your meal times can dilute the digestive acids and mess up the proper digestion of foods. If you must drink then you can take a sip or two at most during your meals.
What happens to your body when you start drinking more water? ›
Water works as a lubricant for your joints, helping to reduce joint pain and protect against daily wear and tear. In fact, drinking more water can help to eliminate other pain in the body by supporting your lymphatic system, a network of nodes, tubes, vessels and fluid that move waste from your tissues.
Does chugging water hydrate you? ›
We grab a bottle of water and guzzle it down, often in one go, to satisfy that thirst. But that's not really the best way to hydrate, says Lindsay Baker, PhD, a senior principal scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. “In general, it's best to sip a little bit throughout the day,” Baker says.
How many oz is 8 glasses of water a day? ›
For someone eating a diet of 2,000 calories per day, this adds up to 2,000 ml (roughly 64 ounces), or eight 8-ounce glasses.
Is 32 oz of water a day good enough? ›
Drinking 32 oz of water a day is not enough to stay hydrated. If you are drinking 32 oz of water a day, it means you are drinking only half the standard recommended amount of water required for adequate hydration. This can lead to dehydration, which can eventually cause various health issues.
How much water should I drink based on my weight? ›
The general rule is to drink one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight. All you have to do is weigh yourself, then divide the number of pounds by two to figure out your needed water intake.
Should you drink 200 oz of water a day? ›
A good rule is to drink somewhere between half an ounce and an ounce of water for every pound of body weight. That means that a 200-pound person should drink about 100 to 200 ounces of water a day. Where you land on that range will depend on factors such as activity level and climate.
