How Much Water Should We Be Drinking?
During the winter months you may notice that you are drinking less water, this can be for a number of reasons including that during colder months, we gravitate towards warm drinks like tea and coffee.
This begs the question - how much water should we be drinking and how can we up our hydration?
According to national health guidelines, we should be aiming to drink at least 2 litres of water per day, which roughly equates to 6-8 glasses per day.
What counts as part of my daily fluid intake?
We should aim to make water the main source of our daily fluid intake, however, drinks such as tea and coffee also count as part of your intake too. It is worth noting that both of these drinks can also dehydrate you so it’s important to try and stick to the recommended guidelines for your daily caffeine intake.
Can I get water from food?
You can find part of your water intake in food such as fresh fruits e.g. watermelon, however, just like tea and coffee we recommend not relying solely on food intake and trying to increase your water intake as much as possible.
What if I struggle to drink water?
This is a common issue and luckily there are a number of easy ways in which you can increase your water/fluid intake if you struggle:
Try adding a flavour to your water such as lemon/cucumber/fresh berries to help if feel more palatable
Keep a bottle with you all day so that you are constantly reminded to drink more
Aim for small, consistent amounts during the day rather than trying to drink pints of liquid in one go
If you don’t drink any water at the moment, start by cutting down tea and coffee and trying things like squash to acclimatise, then you can start diluting it more and more to help increase water intake
Can you drink too much water?
It is very rare to overconsume water, in the worst cases, drinking too much water can lower the salt and electrolyte levels in your body, however it is unlikely to happen unless you go really overboard!
Aiming to stick to the recommended 2-2.5 litres per day is the best way forward!
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