Specialists in health and nutrition will never say it enough: good hydration is essential to maintain the general health of your body. Except that your daily hydration needs are not the same, and depend on several criteria, including your weight. Here is a simple method that will guide you to find out how much water you need during the day.
You've probably heard that you have to drink at least 1.5 L of water a day. Because human beings are different, with different characteristics and needs, so is your need for hydration. Let's first look at the importance of good hydration.
Why is it important to get enough hydration?
It is enough to know that the human body is composed of more than 60% of water, to understand the importance of this element in the functioning of your body. In fact, good hydration helps regulate the temperature of your body, lubricate your joints, protect your spine and helps evacuate waste and toxins out of your body via the following channels: urine, perspiration and transit.
However, it is important to drink as much water as you need, in which case you may experience dehydration or hyponatremia. Your body continuously loses fluid due to perspiration and urine. Dehydration is the state where your body loses more fluids than it ingests. This can lead to:
- Confusion and lack of clarity
- Mood variations
- An increase in body temperature
- The constipation
- Kidney stones
In contrast, hyponatremia is a hydraulic overload for the body. This happens when you drink too much water and the water dilutes the electrolytes in your blood. This results in a significant drop in sodium levels, and one or more of the following symptoms:
- The confusion
- Headaches
- Tiredness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Irritability
- Muscle spasms, cramps and extreme tiredness
You now understand that it is important to drink an appropriate amount of water daily to meet the needs of the body and maintain the proper functioning of the body.
How much water should you drink per day?
The following chart allows you to identify how much water you should drink per day.
If you do not find your weight in the table, the principle of calculation is quite simple. Here's how to proceed:
- We must first subtract 20 kg from its weight
- Multiply the result by 15
- Add 1500 to the result
For example, if you weigh 120 Pounds, the result will be:
1- 65-20 = 45
2- 45 * 15 = 675
3- 675 + 1500 = 2175 ml
You should drink about 2.2 liters of water daily. Namely that many foods have a high water content, and can therefore provide you with considerable help in achieving your daily goals. The most water-rich foods are fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
There is another characteristic to consider when you want to calculate the amount of water you should take per day. It depends on your level of activity. According to a University of Missouri publication, you need to add 350 ml of water to your daily intake for every 30 minutes of exercise.