Does drinking 8 glasses of water daily really help?

Water plays an important role in a person’s life by regulating the body’s temperature and maintaining other bodily functions. Water is that component of your life which you cannot ignore, and you will be surprised to know that your body is made up of approximately 60 per cent water! Not just that, your body loses water while breathing apart from sweating and digestion process, and thus it is important to keep oneself hydrated all day long. However, the amount of water your body needs depends on several factors like your level of physical activity and the climate you live in, among others.

As we already discussed, keeping yourself hydrated is the key to live a healthy life. From keeping your brain function smoothly to flushing out toxins and waste from your body, water does it all! If you do not hydrate yourself well, your skin can become prone to wrinkles and skin disorders. It is an age-old claim that one should drink 8 glasses of water every day for the smooth functioning of the body. People do accept this claim, but it is unauthenticated and there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.

Eight glasses of water means almost 2 litres a day, and it is the recommended amount. There are a couple of theories of its origin, however, there has not been any confirmation on them. One of the theories is that the US Food and Nutrition Board had recommended intake of 2.5 litres of water a day in the year 1945.

As we stated it earlier, your body loses a lot of water through various movements like breath and perspiration. For the smooth functioning of the body, it is required to intake enough water through various fluids and foods that contain water. However, there is no hard and fast rule that an individual must have 8 glasses of water daily. There are various factors for determining the water need of a person. You can do a simple test at home to check your dehydration levels. Check for your first urine in the morning, if it's water like, that means you are hydrated. But, if it's pale yellow to dark in colour, this means you need to drink more water.

Various studies have ruled out the theory of drinking 8 glasses of water per day. It has been claimed that there is no scientific evidence and thus the water intake of a person is based on an individual’s health and other factors. The in-built instinct of the body will tell you how much water your body needs.

It’s not plain water, but various other foods and beverages too can contribute towards your daily intake of water and can keep you hydrated.

This notion of drinking 8 glasses of water per day is a myth and is something that you must not take seriously. Drink as much water as your body demands in the form of thirst and don’t over drink it as water overload too can cause kidney diseases. Always carry a water bottle to keep yourself hydrated and keep track of your intake.