Are You Hydrating Enough?
Your water needs depend on body size, activity level, sweat rate, current medications, physical condition and even location.
Water plays an important role in in almost everything your body does. If you don’t get enough, it can impact cell health, digestion, kidney function, body temperature, energy levels, muscle function, skin health, blood pressure and cognition — and eventually lead to death.
That’s why our bodies are so good at telling us they need water. Even a slight change in the body’s water balance triggers a portion of the brain called the hypothalamus to tell you that you’re thirsty. Knowing how much you need to drink can help keep thirst and other signs of dehydration at bay.
The Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board recommends women age 19 and older drink 91 ounces of water each day and men age 19 and older drink 125 ounces of water a day. These numbers are good starting points, but you may need to consume more or less fluids depending on your individual needs.
For instance, your body uses more water to cool itself when it is warm, and if you sweat, you need to replace the water you lose. According to the Institute of Medicine, very active individuals may need to drink as much as 202 ounces of water a day.
Body weight also plays a role in how much you need to drink — smaller people need less water to survive. A general rule of thumb is to calculate two-thirds of your weight and drink that many ounces of water a day.
The color of your urine can tell you a lot about how hydrated you are.
The lighter your urine color, the more water there is in your system. Urine that is almost clear may indicate you are drinking too much water, whereas dark yellowish brown urine may be a sign of dehydration or other serious health concerns.
Check the color of your urine before it becomes diluted in the toilet bowl water. A pale yellow color indicates you are well hydrated. A medium yellow color could mean it’s time to drink a glass of water, and amber, orange or brown means you may be in serious need of hydration.
Only your doctor can diagnose medical conditions by analyzing your urine. Make an appointment if you are concerned about the color you see.
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