How much water should I drink each day and how do I know if I’m not drinking enough? What you need to know about hydration
Not drinking enough fluid will leave you feeling sluggish and light-headed, here's how to avoid that happening
WATER makes up more than 66 per cent of our bodies, and it's important to drink enough every day.
However, there is conflicting advice on how much we should be drinking. Here's what we know.
How much water should I drink?
drinking six to eight glasses of fluids per day.
However, drinking way more than that can impact negatively on your health too.
To put it into another perspective, this is about three or four 500ml bottles of water.
Drinking low-fat milks and sugar-free drinks as well as plain breakfast tea, coffee and herbal tea all count towards what the NHS recommends.
Young kids and old people are most at risk of dehyrationThee average soft drink comes in a 330ml bottle in the UK.
Even though this counts towards your daily water in take, you still need to be careful.
Caffeine can be dehydrating.
Juice and smoothies contain natural sugars that can damage your teeth.
It's best to try to stick to no-added-sugar squash and to not drink more than 150ml of juice per day.
For those who don't like the taste of H20, sipping on sparkling water or adding a slice of lemon or lime to tap water can help.
Passing clear urine is a good sign you are hydrated - but everyone is slightly different.
You should always drink more water than normal if you're exercising - or out in the sun
When should I drink more water?
Much like with calorie consumption, taller and heavier people will need to drink more water on a daily basis.
You should also drink more than the recommended amount if you're exercising, or if it's a particularly hot day.
When drinking alcohol, which is a diuretic, it's a good idea to alternate booze with a glass of water. The morning after, dehydrating to ease your headache should be your first priority.
You can also become dehydrated when you're ill - especially in the cases of vomiting bugs, diarrhoea and sweating from a fever.
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How do you know if you are dehydrated?
The first test is whether or not you are feeling thirsty. If so, take a sip.
If your urine becomes darker, or smells funny, you are probably dehydrated. Other symptoms include feeling sluggish, light-headed or having a dry mouth.
You may also notice that you're going to the toilet less than usual.
Young kids and the elderly are most at risk of getting dehydrated. Confusion is a common symptom for pensioners who haven't been drinking enough.
While a baby may be drowsy, have fewer wet nappies, and have no tears when they cry.
What are the consequences of dehydration?
You should contact your GP or NHS 111 straight away if you have any of these symptoms:
- Extreme thirst
- Feeling unusually tired or confused
- Not passing urine for eight hours
- Rapid heartbeat
- Dizziness when you stand up, which doesn't go away after a few seconds
In extreme cases, and if left untreated, dehydration can lead to seizures, brain damage and even death.
Is it dangerous to drink too much water?
Recent research showed that patients who follow doctors' orders and "drink plenty of fluids" when they fall ill may actually be putting their life at risk.
In January, a woman developed a potentially fatal complication after embarking on a New Year detox.
The 47-year-old was rushed to hospital after ‘overdosing’ on a cocktail of herbal remedies, and downing too much water, doctors warned.
Medical experts have also warned parents to avoid feeding their babies water, as it can deprive them of essential nutrients.