In the summer months, hydration seems to be on our mind more often. You just have to go outside, feel the heat of the sun, and you’re already grabbing for an ice cold beverage. But, when the days turn cold and the winter is upon us, many of us forget to get our eight to 10 glasses of water in daily.
The problem with our winter mentality is that our hydration needs don’t change much throughout the year. You might think you need more water when it’s hot outside, but that isn’t really the case. Yes, if you are sweating profusely, you need to replenish that moisture in addition to your daily dose of water, but most of us aren’t working up that much of a sweat to change our daily needs. Actually, in the summer most of our time is spent in the air conditioning and in the winter we spend most of our time warmed by heating. Most of us don’t even have a choice in the matter. It’s just the way of our work environment. So, aside from exercise or an occasional balmy day sweating it out at the county fair, your body’s needs really don’t change much at all.
It’s also true that we get some hydration from fresh fruits and vegetables, but our intake of these foods also tends to diminish (with their availability) in the winter months. So, we’re getting less hydration from our food and less from beverages too. It’s no wonder everyone’s skin dries out in the winter.
So, how much should you be drinking? The old guideline of 8 glasses of water per day that you learn in school is just the minimum. If you learn how to become a nurse practitioner or nutritionist, you’ll understand that you should actually be shooting for anywhere between one and five glasses more. If you’re surprised by that, you’re probably underhydrated. But, don’t feel bad. Most of us are. Also, if you drink a lot of caffeine, you could be dehydrating yourself. For every cup of a caffeinated beverage, like coffee or soda, you should add another cup of water (or other hydrating beverage) to your total intake for the day.