Water: How much do you need to drink?

On the radio last week I heard a discussion about how much water we need (or don't need) to drink each day.  They referred to a study by scientists at University of Pennsylvania which was conducted in 2008.  The study concluded that 'there is no clear evidence of benefit from drinking increased amounts of water'.  


If you do some research on the subject you'll find other studies that come to the same conclusions.    So should we all be aiming for our 8 glasses of water a day?  Or should we just forget about drinking water?  This is something that people ask me about all the time.


Here's what I think.


The human body is around 60% water and most processes and reactions depend on water to be efficient.  Many of our daily activities and our patterns of irregular eating and drinking actually deprive the system of water so it can't do any harm to make sure you're putting enough water in to compensate for this.


The bottom line and easy answer is that everyone should decide for themselves.  


You need to experiment with drinking water and then try not drinking extra water for a few days and see how you feel.  


In my experience, getting hydrated definitely helps with energy levels and concentration, and once you get into the habit of regularly topping up with plain water, you'll feel great.  


You'll also notice, if you begin to feel a bit sluggish, that reaching for some water will put you back on track.


So over the next week or so, play around with how much water you drink each day and judge how much makes you feel at your best.  Start today and tomorrow by getting your eight glasses and then try just one or two glasses for the two days after that.  


When you know how much gives you the best energy, make sure you get that amount every day no matter where you are or what your schedule is like.

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Photo by alles-schlumpf (Flickr)