How Much Water Do You Need to Drink in a Day Calculator

Your emotions, sleep, and overall health and wellness can all benefit from adequate water. Find out if your water intake is adequate by using this simple tool.

Calculating how much water you need to drink each day is more difficult than you might believe. That's because hydration isn't a one-size-fits-all situation.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that women drink around 2.7 liters (L), or 11 cups, of liquids per day, while males drink about 3.7 L. (16 cups). Water does not have to be the only source of fluid; other beverages and the fluid included in entire, nutrient-dense foods also count.

Find out how much water you should drink on a daily basis.

Use this hydration calculator to get a better idea of how much water you need to drink each day.

What Factors Affect Fluid Needs?

The amount of fluid your body requires to function at its best can be affected by a variety of things.

Birth Sex

Those born male require more fluid than those born female to support their larger body mass, lower average body fat, and increased daily calorie burn.

Body Weight

According to a report published in the Annals of Family Medicine in July 2016, the surface area of the body, metabolic rate, and body weight all influence hydration demands. When a result, as body weight rises, so do hydration requirements, according to the University of Missouri System.

Life Stage

Similarly, as PennState explains, pregnant women require extra fluids to maintain amniotic fluid levels and keep the baby growing gradually. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, if you're breastfeeding a developing infant, you'll need to drink more fluids so that your body can produce enough milk.

Diet Quality

The items you eat might alter your hydration and the amount of fluid you need to drink, according to the Mayo Clinic. You won't need to drink as much water if you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables each day (both of which are high in hydrating fluid).

Soup is another fluid-rich food that can help you meet your daily water requirements.

You won't need to drink as much if you consume a lot of these items every day. However, if your daily fruit and vegetable intake is low, a few extra glasses of water will make up for the lost fluid.

Activity Level

When you sweat during activity or on a hot summer day, you'll need to drink more water to replace the fluids you've lost. The amount of sweat you produce and your subsequent fluid requirements are affected by the intensity and duration of activity, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Sweat volume can also be influenced by genetics and how used you are to a particular climate, according to a study published in Sports Medicine in March 2017.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, determining exact hydration losses from physical activity is difficult because people sweat at significantly different rates. In other words, two persons of the same gender, weight, and diet will sweat differently — and thus require different quantities of fluid — even under identical conditions.

The Importance of Staying Hydrated

While water intake requirements vary, one thing is certain: meeting your daily hydration needs will have a significant positive impact on your health.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, enough hydration keeps the body operating correctly, lubricates joints, and maintains body temperature. According to the university, staying hydrated helps you sleep better, think more clearly, and even improves your mood!

Last but not least, don't flood your system all at once.

It is critical to drink water gradually throughout the day. Too much water at once can lead to hyponatremia, a condition in which the body's electrolytes become depleted. Hyponatremia, according to the Mayo Clinic, can be fatal.