How much water should you drink everyday?

We know that drinking plenty of water has many benefits, such as better skin, a better immune system, and fewer headaches. Although we are aware that water consumption creates a Benjamin Button effect even during the aging process, do we drink enough water? More importantly, do we know how much water we should drink every day?

We explain exactly how much water you should drink and useful tips to increase your water consumption.

How much water should we drink a day?

According to experts, the amount of water that should be consumed every day differs for men and women. While it is recommended that men aim to drink approximately 3.7 litres of water a day, the amount of water that women should consume is approximately 2.7 litres.

Our body loses a lot of water due to all its natural functions. Therefore, it is important to keep our body hydrated by drinking water regularly throughout the day.

The easiest way to calculate how much water to drink is to monitor the frequency you urinate, the condition of your urine, and your own fluid intake. If your urine is not relatively clear but has a dark colour and a strong odor, this is an indication that you need to drink more water.    

Do beverages such as fruit juices, tea and coffee contribute to water consumption?

Although the water in coffee and tea can contribute to our daily fluid consumption, caffeine has diuretic properties, which means it can cause us to lose water from the body. Although drinks such as fruit juice, tea and coffee can help meet the body's water needs, it is useful to make sure that you meet this need by drinking enough water.

What are the benefits of drinking water?

Since our body consists of 50% to 70% of water, it is very important that we drink water to maintain our general body health. Water is not only an important component of blood plasma, but also plays an important role in dissolving and transporting substances in the body, maintaining fatty tissues and immunity. Water contains numerous nutrients and minerals and also delivers them to different parts of the body. However, you should not forget that you also need water to sweat and expel waste from your body and intestines.

Drinking water also increases saliva production, which helps keep the mouth clean. Consuming adequate amounts of water fights against oral health problems and tooth decay.

Adequate water consumption, which is of great importance for joint health, helps absorb impacts. Since cartilage contains approximately 80% water, dehydration can cause pain in the joints. When you drink enough water, you help protect your sensitive tissues such as your spine and brain.

Water consumption is also very important for cognitive health. Being dehydrated can negatively affect the function and structure of your brain, making it difficult to think clearly.

Signs that your body is dehydrated

When you are dehydrated, your body may react such as headache, dry mouth, dark urine, and dizziness. In addition to physical symptoms, problems such as low energy, feeling tired, lack of concentration, and difficulty in exercising may also be the results of dehydration.

Dangers of dehydration

According to experts, dehydration affects many of your bodily functions. When your body becomes dehydrated, you gradually begin to feel physically and mentally tired and exhausted. Your skin and mouth may become dry and appear less radiant and plump. At the same time, your fine lines may become more visible on your dull skin.

Since fluid intake is important for strengthening immunity, not drinking enough water may cause you to get sick more easily. Severe cases of dehydration can become life-threatening.

Being constantly dehydrated can leave you feeling truly depleted and depleted. This can leave you feeling like you don't have the energy to be physically active, which can have a negative impact on your health.

Since water is very important for maintaining blood pressure, heart rate and muscle performance, not drinking enough water can cause impaired brain function, decreased energy, cramps, low blood pressure, dizziness and increased heart rate.

In addition, if you have difficulty in exercising, this may also be due to dehydration. According to experts, we should be consuming approximately 150% of the fluid we lose. Since it is impossible to measure this in real life, drinking water when we are thirsty is the best thing we can do.

Tips to increase your water consumption

Setting a daily goal for yourself is a great first step to increasing your water consumption . Setting hydration goals for yourself, such as drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up every morning, can motivate you.

However, if you make it a habit to drink a glass of water before each meal, you will prevent overeating while increasing your fluid intake because your body will not confuse thirst with hunger.

If you, like many people, do not like the taste of water, you can try sweetening your water. You can make water taste better by adding cucumber or ginger, using a flavored and sugar-free hydration powder, or freezing lemon slices in ice cubes.

It is also possible to meet some of your fluid needs from the foods you consume. There are many fruits and vegetables that are great sources of water, such as cucumber, celery, strawberries, watermelon and grapes. You can increase your fluid intake by consuming a food containing plenty of water during one of your snacks.

Finally, purchasing a reusable water bottle can be a motivator. You can use your bottle at work, at home, or at the gym, or carry it with you to remind yourself that you need to drink water. In this way, you show a more respectful attitude towards the environment by not using plastic bottles.