The amount of water you should drink daily varies based on factors such as age, sex, activity level, climate, and health status. General guidelines from reputable health sources are:
- For adult men: about 13 to 15.5 cups (3.1 to 3.7 liters) of fluids per day, including water from all beverages and food
- For adult women: about 9 to 11.5 cups (2.2 to 2.7 liters) of fluids per day from all sources
- Children and teenagers need less, with amounts increasing with age (e.g., 5 cups for ages 4-8, 7-8 cups for ages 9-13, and 8-11 cups for ages 14-18)
- Pregnant women should aim for about 10 cups, and breastfeeding women about 13 cups daily
These amounts include fluids from water, other beverages, and moisture in food. The traditional "eight 8-ounce glasses" (about 8 cups) is a simple guideline but not tailored for individual needs
. Your personal water needs may be higher if you:
- Live in hot or humid climates
- Exercise or are physically active
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have certain health conditions or take medications that increase fluid loss
In summary, aim for around 9 cups for women and 13 cups for men as a baseline, adjusting upward based on your lifestyle and environment. Drinking to thirst and monitoring urine color (pale yellow is ideal) can also help guide hydration
