The amount of water you should drink every day varies based on factors like age, sex, activity level, climate, and health status. However, general guidelines from health authorities provide useful benchmarks:
- For healthy adult men, about 3.7 liters (approximately 13 to 15.5 cups) of total fluids per day is recommended.
- For healthy adult women, about 2.7 liters (approximately 9 to 11.5 cups) of total fluids per day is recommended.
These amounts include all fluids consumed, not just plain water, but also beverages like tea, coffee, milk, and water contained in food such as fruits and vegetables
. Additional considerations:
- Physical activity and hot climates increase fluid needs due to sweat loss, so more water should be consumed in these conditions
- Pregnant women need about 10 cups (2.4 liters) daily, and breastfeeding women about 13 cups (3.1 liters)
- Children’s water needs vary by age, from about 4 cups (1 liter) for toddlers to 8–11 cups (1.9–2.6 liters) for teenagers
The traditional “8 glasses a day” rule (about 2 liters) is a simple guideline but may not be sufficient for everyone, especially men and active individuals
. In summary, aim for roughly 9 cups (2.7 liters) for women and 13 cups (3.7 liters) for men daily from all fluids, adjusting upward for exercise, heat, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Drinking regularly throughout the day, even before feeling thirsty, helps maintain optimal hydration
