The body is about 60% water, give or take. You are constantly losing water from your body, primarily via urine and sweat. To prevent dehydration, you need to drink adequate amounts of water.

Health authorities commonly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon. This is called the 8×8 rule and is very easy to remember.

However, some health gurus believe that you need to sip on water constantly throughout the day, even when you’re not thirsty. As with most things, this depends on the individual. Many factors (both internal and external) ultimately affect your need for water.

How Much Water Is Best?

At the end of the day, no one can tell you exactly how much water you need. This depends on the individual. Try experimenting to see what works best for you. Some people may function better with more water than usual, while for others it only results in more frequent trips to the bathroom.

If you want to keep things simple, these guidelines should apply to the majority of people:

When you’re thirsty, drink.

When you’re not thirsty anymore, stop.

During high heat and exercise, make sure to drink enough to compensate for the lost fluids.

That’s it!

For more information about water, click here.