As a general rule, you can use this simple calculation.
Water (in litres) to drink a day = Your Weight (in Kg) multiplied by 0.033.
For example, if you are 60 kg,
60×0.33=1.98 litres.
Dehydration means a condition that occurs when the body loses too much water and other fluids that it needs to work normally. Dehydration is usually caused by severe diarrhea and vomiting, but it may also be caused by not drinking enough water or other fluids, sweating too much, fever, urinating too much, or taking certain medicines.
Symptoms or sings of dehydration include
•Dizziness or light-headedness.
•Headache.
•Tiredness.
•Dry mouth, lips and eyes.
•Passing small amounts of urine infrequently (less than three or four times a day).
•Having dark coloured, strong-smelling urine.
•Passing urine less often than usual.
Below are the top benefits of drinking water for the human body:
•Skin clarity and health. Drinking enough water has a tremendously positive effect on skin clarity and health.
•Weight control.
•Blood pressure regulation.
•Body temperature regulation.
•Energy boosting.
•Kidney function.
•Digestive fficiency.
•Joint health.
Most health specialists recommend that we all need to drink eight ounce cups equal to 2 litres of water each day.Health experts commonly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon a day. This is called the 8×8 rule and is very easy to remember.
One of the biggest ways that your body loses water is through sweat.You sweat more during warmer temperatures. For this reason, your body might require more water during the summer months. This does not automatically mean, however, that you should decrease your water consumption during the winter months.
It's important to stay hydrated during colder weather.
Simply remembering to drink more water can help prevent dehydration in the winter. Drink water and replenish fluids, especially after or during physical activity.
Why winter hydration matters? A study from the University of New Hampshire found that your chance of dehydration actually increases during the colder months. Since people don't feel as thirsty when the temperature drops, many forget to drink enough water.
Good hydration helps clear congestion. When you're sick, make sure you get eight cups of water a day. A better hydrated body helps the immune system stop the cold symptoms.
Remember the best times to water are early morning and later in the day to avoid water loss into the environment, although evaporation isn't usually an issue in the winter months, but it's a good habit to create before the warmer weather arrives.
During summers, our bodies try to cool down through the natural process of sweating, which in turn can cause dehydration. This makes it essential for us to drink more water, as less water content in the body can lead various ailments.
Keep a water bottle on your desk or put a glass next to the kitchen sink to remind you keep drinking. Eat foods that have a high water content such as soups, salads or fruit like melon to keep your water intake topped up. Always have a glass of water next to you at meal times.
Right ways to drink water ::
•Always try to have lukewarm water. Warm or hot water actually has the ability to absorb deeper into your tissues.
•Sit down while drinking water. Standing and drinking disrupts the balance of body fluids.
•Drink water slowly.
•Start your day with a glass of boiled water.
It's important to drink enough water during the day, however, it can be disruptive if you drink directly before bed. Avoid drinking water or any other fluids at least two hours before sleeping to prevent waking up at night.
As fluid intake increases, the amount of urine made will increase along with it. Because the bladder can only hold so much fluid volume, increasing water intake will increase the frequency of urination, and may make people with an overactive bladder more likely to leak.
Coconut water is rich in carbohydrates and electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and magnesium. Because of these electrolytes, there's a lot of interest in using coconut water to treat and prevent dehydration.
Drinking enough water each day is crucial for many reasons: to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.
Regardless of the temps outside, staying hydrated is important all year round. Every time you sweat, urinate, or have a bowel movement, water is lost. It may be difficult to notice when you're sweating in colder weather, so pay attention when you're bundled up.
Water is your best bet for everyday hydration, since it is free of sugar, calories, and caffeine. All of your daily food and beverages contribute to your daily fluid needs.
Milk hydrates better than water:
Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein for its effectiveness.
Although it may not seem like a cold drink will help keep you warm, hydration is essential to the body's ability to prevent hypothermia. We can get fluid from a variety of healthy sources other than just a glass of water. Broth soups and fruits and vegetables are foods that can provide much-needed fluids to our bodies.
To minimize your risk of dehydration in the winter time, here are some suggestions:
•Carry water with you.
•Monitor your water intake.
•Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
•Drink healthy hot beverages.
•Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
•Wear layers.
Staying hydrated all year long is important, especially in the winter. During these colder months, the air lacks moisture, leading to cracked knuckles and chapped lips. Here are are several other reasons to drink water during the winter.
Why should we drink more during the winter:
(1) Regulating body temperature:
When outside temperatures drop, the body begins to regulate its internal heat. In order to overcome the cold outside, our body activates a kind of internal heating mechanism. For this purpose the body makes use of the resources it has accumulated, or in other words using energy. In order to produce additional energy that will allow proper functioning and in particular to prevent dehydration, be sure to drink enough water.
(2) Air Conditioners and Heaters:
During winter, we spend most of the day in a heated space. Whether it’s a car air conditioner, a home heater, or an office air conditioning system, all of these heating devices dry the air and make us sweat even without us noticing. After we enter a heated room, we often forget to turn down the temperature and we get used to the same temperature that in the summer would bother us. As a result, we sweat more, and dries up because of dry air. The symptoms in many cases are headaches and a feeling of heaviness and fatigue.
(3) Winter diseases dehydrate the body:
Who of us is not sick at least once in the winter? From a mild cold, through an allergy to a real flu, all winter illnesses dehydrate the body. In almost all cases, these diseases affect the respiratory regions of the body and cause increased production of phlegm and mucus. The result is often dehydration, even if partial. So when you are sick it’s very important to drink even more water than usual.
(4)The Cold outside blurs the feeling of thirst:
Most people tend to drink less in the winter simply because low temperatures “cheat” the feeling of thirst. In the summer it is very hot outside and we sweat a lot, and accordingly, the body knows how to create a strong thirsty feeling. In the winter, on the other hand, when we work out and the outside temperature is low, the body will not immediately “update” us. Therefore, in the winter, we should rely less on thirst, and create structured drinking habits.
(5) We eat more in the Winter:
Anyone who tries to maintain their body weight knows that there is nothing to do but eat more during the winter! Cold weather and rain make us want to warm up, and attractive food takes over, so we can’t do much. Therefore, drinking heavily will help the body in two ways: first the fluids will help digestion and metabolism. Second, having plenty of water will help the body regulate winter hunger and prevent us from consuming excessive food. A glass of water before each meal will give a second life to your diet.
Therefore stay hydrated and healthy in winter months.
Information compiled by:
Dr. Bhairavsinh Raol
