It might surprise you to know that many of us are not drinking enough for our bodies to function at their best. Poor hydration can have a significant impact on wellbeing – even a drop of as little as 1% of our total body water content can affect our cognitive function, mood, energy levels and cause physical symptoms like headaches and dizziness.

How much should we be drinking?

The recommended amount of fluid intake per day is 2.5 litres for men and 2 litres for women – that equates to around 6 to 8 glasses per day. However, statistics show that the average Brit comes in under the target at around 1.7 litres per day. It’s surprisingly easy to become dehydrated, especially on a hot day (when we’re lucky enough to have them) with babies, children and elderly people being particularly susceptible. So, how can you make sure you’re getting enough fluid every day?

• Drink regularly and often. Keep your body topped up rather than waiting until it’s on the verge of dehydration. A drop of just 2% in your body’s water content is enough to become dehydrated, so don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Using a water bottle with time markings or hydration alert on a fitness tracker can be handy prompts to remind you to take a regular sip or two.
• Watch what you drink. The best thing to hydrate your body with is good old H2O (you can always add some flavour with a slice of ginger, lemon or cucumber if you don’t like the taste of plain water) and most other drinks are fine too. But be mindful that caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee and energy drinks can have a stimulant and diuretic effect, and liquids like fruit juice and fizzy drinks can be high in sugar.
• Eat foods with a high water content to help keep your fluid levels topped up. If you’re not keen on guzzling drinks all day, try adding more foods like tomatoes, watermelons, cucumbers or oranges as well as soups and broths to your daily diet.
• Increase your fluid intake when you need to. For example, drink more when you’re more active than usual, when the weather is very warm or if you’re unlucky enough to get a tummy bug to replace the extra fluid you may have lost.
• Take it easy. Too much water can be just as harmful as not drinking enough. However, if you stick somewhere around your recommended daily intake, you should be getting what your body needs to stay adequately hydrated.

You can find out more about dehydration and the symptoms to look out for on the NHS website.