Drinking water is an integral part of our daily routine, as there is no life without water. People have different opinions of how much water you should drink on a daily basis.
However, you should intake water depending upon your internal (physical) factors and external (environmental) factors.
How much water should you drink every day in India
India has a hot and humid climate in majority of its states. Due to this, Indians tend to sweat and get dehydrated easily. Thus, staying hydrated by drinking adequate amount of water is a must!
It is prominent in India that drinking 2 litres of water every day is enough to keep you healthy. However, the fact is water consumption level varies from person to person and to calculate the exact quantity you can follow this simple formula step by step:
- Check how much you weight in kilograms: this formula requires you to calculate your water requirement depending upon your weight in kg. This simple math behind it is that a 30 kg person will not require the same amount of water like an 80 kg person.
- Divide it by 30: divide your weight by the number 30 and the answer what you get is the number of litres of water you should consume on a daily basis. For e.g. if you weight 72kg you need to drink 2.4 litres of water daily.
- In case of physical activity increase water intake: your body excretes water in the form of sweat when you exercise or perform any physical activity. Hence you need to add some more water to your daily intake to avoid dehydration. You need to add 350 ml / (0.3litres) of water for every half an hour of physical activity. For e.g. you need to add 750ml (0.7litres) of water over daily water intake if you exercise for 1 hour daily.
This formula may work for some of you but not all of you, hence, it is best to consult your doctor or nutritionist before you increase or decrease your water intake.
In general, if you want to avoid more confusion and complications you need to follow these simple guidelines, which work of majority of people:
- Do not ignore your thirst because when the water content in your body goes down beyond a particular level, thirst hits you.
- Make sure your well hydrated during summer, especially when you are exercising.
- Drink water only when you are thirsty.
- Once you have quenched your thirst, stop do not over drink unless suggested by a doctor.
Ways in which water affects your brain functions and energy level
Studies have shown that dehydration can not only affect you physically but also mentally. A study on women showed that after a loss of approximately 1.5 % of fluid in the body, women found it difficult to concentrate and got frequent headaches.
While other study stated that dehydration due to hot climate or exercise can harm some aspects of brain function. Mild dehydration due to sweating can negatively affect your health or body, bring down your level of physical performance and reduce your endurance.
Perks of drinking adequate water
Helps to lose weight
Some research shows drinking water 30 minutes before a healthy meal helps in reducing weight, however this may not work for everyone. On the other hand, drinking water in enough quantity improves your digestion and metabolism.
Decreases risk of /treat kidney stones
Kidney stones can also be formed due to poor water drinking habits. High intake of water dilutes the crystallized kidney stones and flushes it off through urine. Moreover, water maintains healthy functioning of your kidneys and keeps them clean.
Prevents cramps
Drinking water in adequate quantity maintains the elasticity of your joints due to which you are less likely to suffer from cramps, joint pains, sprains etc.
Helps to maintain healthy skin
Keeping yourself hydrated will not only give you a healthy body but also a glowing, soft and wrinkle free skin. Water also prevents dryness of skin and slows skin ageing.
Removes toxins from body
Drinking warm water or during the process of detoxification, water helps to throw all the toxins out of the body. Water intake works wonders in treating urinary tract infections as it removes all the infection-causing germs out from your body through urine.
Apart from this staying hydrated keeps you active, improves your mood, prevents various diseases and boost overall health.
