When to drink Water
“You need to take in a certain amount of water daily.” This age-old advice has been passed down from one generation to another and maybe from one WhatsApp group to another. Another one is that there are times of the day one should drink water.
It is said you need to take about 8 cups of water daily. Some apportion times you should drink water e.g drink a glass of water when you get up in the morning, drink after each meal, drink a glass when you’re going to bed, etc
However, there’s a school of thought that says you don’t need to stress yourself that way, drink water when your body tells you to. A signal will be sent to your brain to tell you when to drink water.
Which is medically backed?
Before we decide let’s do a review of normal physiology
How much water is in the body?
The average 70kg man has about 42 litres of water which makes up about 60% of our body weight, This tells us that water is an important component of our bodies. This water is needed for homeostasis. Homeostasis is simply the process of keeping our internal state balanced.
Physiology of thirst
Why do we get thirsty?
There are many reasons why we feel thirsty. These include cultural habits like taking water after meals or even psychological reasons,
The body loses water by various means which include sweating, stooling, vomiting, urinating, etc. It activates some mechanisms without our knowledge to conserve/replace lost fluids. However, these mechanisms do not fully restore the fluids to the optimum state. This is why we have to actively replace it hence the feeling of thirst.
Thirst arises as a result of the interplay of nerves telling the brain there is a need for water either inside or outside the cells needed to keep the body functioning.
If this is so shouldn’t we just wait till our body tells us?
Well, yes and no
If you are healthy you can drink water when your body tells you to but other people may need to actively take water e.g in hot environments, during pregnancy, illness, or when exercising.
How do I know if I am drinking enough water?
If you hardly get thirsty and your urine is clear or light yellow, you are probably taking in enough water.
Are there times I should drink water?
Yes, with your meals, when you feel thirsty or have done exercises.