How Much Water Should I Drink?
Even though I KNOW it’s important to stay hydrated, I used to have so much trouble drinking enough water. (Especially when I was commuting to the city 4 times a week pre-pandemic!)
I’ve finally found a few tricks that work for me (which I share in this post- 6 Ways to Drink
More Water), but digging in deeper to the symptoms of dehydration (anxiety, headaches... brain fog anyone??) really helped me solidify this habit.
Plus, once you know the super powers (aka benefits…) you get from drinking water, it’s hard to go back!
I’ll cover more common signs of early dehydration, water sourcing tips, plus–why you, YES YOU!, should be salting your water.
How Much Water Should I Drink?
We know we “should” drink more water, but what does that even mean?
While there is not a one-size-fits-all solution (there rarely is!), here are a few ways to make sure you’re drinking enough water for your body to function optimally:
Drink when you’re thirsty! (Ok hopefully that’s a given.)
Drink PURE water during the day until your urine is straw colored/light yellow (While we can get water from other food and beverage sources, pure water is basically ✨PURE MAGIC!✨)
A good rule is to aim for drinking half of your body weight in ounces. That means if you weigh 150 lbs, you could aim for drinking about 75 oz. of water per day. (150/2 = 75). It’s a good place to begin!
Start the day with a big glass of water, before your morning coffee. (Bonus points for adding lemon!)
Could You Be Dehydrated?
Here are some early warning signs of dehydration that you may need to drink more water (in addition to just being plain thirsty and having darker yellow colored pee):
fatigue
anxiety
headaches & migraines
muscle cramps
dry mouth
CRAVINGS (Your body might just be THIRSTY!)
problems with memory
inability to concentrate
If you’re experiencing any of these early signs, drink a glass of water! And then it may be time to bring some awareness to how much water you’re taking in on a daily basis. Even a slight increase in your daily water intake can make a huge difference.
Are You Absorbing the Water You Drink?
Even if you are drinking water throughout the day, your body may still not be getting the hydration it needs.
Here are a few additional factors that could lead to dehydration:
consuming diuretic beverages (like alcohol, coffee, tea, soda and juice)
chronic conditions - especially diabetes
working outdoors
being exposed to heat
living in a high altitude
working out frequently and not hydrating
not consuming adequate electrolytes (more on this below!)
Drinking Water Gives You Super Powers
How does drinking water give you SUPER POWERS? I’ll start with highlighting some of the amazing things water does for your body.
And if you’re a questioner like me–from Gretchen Rubin’s book Better Than Before on habit building–it can be so powerful to know the WHY behind something before we decide to build that habit.
Pure water is magic and it helps every single body system, from digestion to blood sugar, hormones to immune, cardiovascular to your natural detoxification processes. Basically it’s VERY IMPORTANT!
Here are just a few of the processes water helps your body carry out:
removes waste & flushes out toxins
enables cellular hydration & communication (heathy cells = healthy organs = healthy systems = healthy you)
helps the body heal faster
transports nutrients throughout the body
helps aid digestion
lubricates bones & joints
Plus when it comes to mental health and your overall physiology, staying hydrated can help your body:
lower anxiety (yes please!)
have more energy
improve focus and concentration
improve skin complexion
help maintain a weight ideal for your body
AND it can help you stay regular. 💩
I hope that you consider adding hydration as your very own SUPER POWER.
Sea Salt for the Win
Do you salt?? Adding a pinch of sea salt to your glass helps your body absorb water better for optimal hydration. It also helps your body stay hydrated longer, AND actually may help you pee less. (If the water is absorbed it won’t go straight through you!)
Unprocessed sea salt is the way to go. It’s chock full of minerals - including the major electrolytes: sodium, potassium, and chloride, as well as magnesium.
PLUS—sea salt has a ton of awesome benefits for your body. Salt is essential for not only water absorption, but also proper cell function, nerve transmission, and it aids proper digestion.
And we’re not talking ordinary table salt here y’all. (“Normal” table salt is stripped of trace minerals, and often has funky anti-caking additives, not to mention… sugar??)
Look out for badass sea salt brands like Celtic Sea Salt, Redmond’s Real Salt (my go-to!), and Himalayan salt. I like to keep a little bowl of salt on my windowsill, and I’ll just grab a pinch to throw in my glass each time I fill it up! Switching up sea salts is also beneficial. I swap between Celtic and Redmond’s every other week or so.
What are Electrolytes?
They’re electric! No actually, YOU are electric. (Ron Burgundy anyone? Am I old?) So what are electrolytes and why do we need them?
⠀
Electrolytes are important minerals–like sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and phosphate–that help keep your body hydrated.
They actually are able to conduct electricity when dissolved in water, and carry electrical current throughout your body by way of your nervous system.
Electrolytes play an important role in:
maintaining proper cell function
balancing your body’s PH level
maintaining optimal nerve AND muscle function
supporting optimal enzyme activity.
Yes to all of that!!
If you’re eating a diet rich in a variety of real foods and nutrients, you may be getting enough electrolytes through food sources such as spinach, kale, avocado, almonds, watermelon, oranges, tart cherries, mangos, bananas, tomatoes, pickles, olives, poultry, etc.
However if you don’t drink enough water (many many of us don’t!), exercise/sweat a lot, or if you are sick (or hungover!) you may need to replenish your electrolytes.
Basically if you’re an active person, it’s a good idea to give yourself a little extra boost for optimal body function & hydration!
Here are a few easy options to better hydrate and to get more electrolytes in your life:
Throw a pinch of sea salt in your water (see above for more on this!)
Coconut water - a fantastic & yummy source of natural electrolytes
Citrus fruits
Ultima Replenisher - a fun way to zhuzh up your water and get ALL of the electrolytes. (I don’t tolerate stevia, so I don’t prefer Ultima, but many people LOVE this option!)
Where Does Your Water Come From?
Do you drink tap water? Well? Bottled or filtered? Wherever you get your water it’s a good idea to know where it comes from.
If drinking tap water, having it tested is a great place to start. Tap water often (unfortunately!) contains contaminants such as chlorine and chloramines, and even bacteria and viruses.
Here are two great resources to learn more about your tap water:
If you’re on well water (like me!) it’s also good practice to get it tested at least once a year, as groundwater can change over time. Do a local search to see what’s available in your community, or order a test online.
Get a good filtration system for your drinking water & consider one for your shower as well!
Why do you need a shower filter? NOT TO FREAK YOU OUT, but when you’re breathing in hot steam from your shower, or soaking in your bath, it’s possible to inhale or absorb contaminants like chlorine, fluorine & chloramines which can negatively affect your thyroid glands.
Prioritize your drinking water first, and then if your budget allows, a shower filter is a dope next step!
Know your options
Please note, perfection is not the key here. You don’t need ALL the gadgets all at once (or even ever! I do not have a filter on my shower...). It’s a good idea to know your options and the quality of your water so that you can make the choices that fit best for your family, budget and health needs. If you are trying to eliminate all potential toxins and triggers for hormonal or immune reasons, this is often a stone left unturned, and it can be a good place to start exploring.
Here are a few water filter recommendations:
Berkey water filter (Def on my wishlist!! Come on Mother’s Day….)
EWG also has some great recs on their website
(I am still shopping around for a water filter for our home, so I can't personally recommend one yet, but will keep you posted once I get one I like!)
Bottled Water-Know Your Label
Spring- has to come from an actual spring. The label should say the city name of the source.
Spring water “Bottled at source,” is more pure. If it’s not bottled at the source, it’s most likely chlorinated because it has to travel on a truck to a facility to be processed.
Purified- tap or ground water that has been filtered with carbon or by reverse osmosis
HOT TIP: Never drink water from a plastic bottle that’s been left in the hot sun. It could leech scary chemicals from the plastic into your water.
As for me, I’ll be ordering that well water test ASAP…
I hope this info helps you on your hydration journey. Take care of yourself out there, stay hydrated, and if you made it all the way to the end of this article, go fill up your water glass. Cheers! :)