How many glasses of water should one drink throughout the day? This has been a perpetual dilemma. Many believe that drinking around 3 litres or 8 glasses of water is sufficient to maintain body hydration. Many doctors also support this theory. But the physiological functions of men and women are different. In that case, should the amount of water remain the same?
Doctors say how much water a person should drink depends on their body weight, physical activity, weather, and physiological functions. Dr. Amit Saraf says, "A significant amount of water leaves the body through sweat, urine, or breathing, and that void needs to be filled. However, the amount of water lost varies from person to person." Generally, men need to drink an average of 3 to 3.7 litres of water per day according to their body type and activities. On the other hand, women can manage with an average of 2.5 to 2.7 litres of water. However, there are no hard and fast rules about this.
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Should you drink water only when thirsty or measure out glasses before drinking?
The brain sends signals only when the body becomes completely dehydrated. That's when you feel thirsty. But there's no point in waiting until the body becomes dehydrated. Again, drinking a large amount of water as soon as you feel thirsty is also bad for the body. Therefore, doctors say that if you keep sipping small amounts of water throughout the day without waiting to feel thirsty, it won't cause any problems. At the same time, you need to ensure that your urine colour doesn't become dark yellow or reddish. This can also be a sign of dehydration.
Can drinking too much water cause problems?
Doctors say drinking excessive water can cause "water intoxication." Drinking too much water dilutes the sodium in the blood. This can disrupt the electrolyte balance.
