Are you drinking eight glasses of water every day? Should you? It’s important to make sure you drink enough water, especially if you live in extreme heat conditions. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, spikes in blood pressure and irregular heart rate. But the rules of hydration are surprisingly slippery.
There’s a lot of advice out there about how much water you should drink, who needs the most and how to know if you’re dehydrated. In this article, you’ll learn the true recommended intake for water, plus several factors that influence your hydration needs.
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How much water you should drink each day
When you lose fluids through sweating, replace them with water or sports drinks.
You have an active job: Those on the go all day (especially those who work outdoors) may need more water than most people. The more you move, the more you sweat, and you should replace lost water (and electrolytes) through fluid intake.
You exercise often: If you don’t have an active job but you do exercise a lot — whether in the gym or through recreational activities — you also need more water than most. Even if you don’t realize it, you lose a lot of fluids during physical activity (even in cold weather). Up your water intake to account for activity (especially travel activity).
You live in a hot climate: Hot weather means increased sweating, and it’s important to replace lost fluid. Dryness compounds fluid loss in hot weather — people in desert climates may need more water than those in tropical climates.
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.
