This Is How Much Water You Should Actually Drink In A Day

Sixty percent of your body is made up of water.

Which basically means you, and I, and every other human in the world, are all just giant cucumbers with anxiety.

I don't know about you, but I'm actually totally down with being a delicious veggie, anxiety and all.

Of course, the human body is a little more complex than a cucumber.

Water is your body's principle chemical component, and every one of your bodily systems depend on it for survival.

So, even though most of us don't really actively think about it, the amount of water we put into our bodies is pretty damn important.

But, is there a definite answer as to how much water we should be putting into our bodies every day? Or are we all just anxious cucumbers running around trying to find answers we'll never get?

Elite Daily spoke with Nicholas Berbari, M.D., FACP, who works in General Internal Medicine at NYU Winthrop Hospital, to get to the bottom of this question.

He tells us,

[You should be drinking] at least 64 ounces [of water] a day depending on your activity level. I encourage my patients to drink plenty of water and healthy drinks. Avoid soda and alcohol and sugary drinks.

Dr. Berbari went on to say our bodies require water to maintain homeostasis so they can function properly. The body requires a sufficient amount of water (at least 64 ounces) to carry out its many everyday functions.

He continues,

Water is important in multiple systems in the body, including neurological, digestive, renal function, and more. It also maintains healthy glowing skin.

But I was still curious... Is it possible to overdo it with the water? Sixty-four ounces kind of sounds like a lot in and of itself, but what if I actually managed to be an overachiever and drink even more than that in a day?

Dr. Berbari tells us,

Certain medical conditions such as end stage renal disease, congestive heart failure, hyponatremia and others, often require a person to restrict their water intake. Always check with your doctor if you have certain medical conditions.

OK, but what if I don't feel like guzzling a half-gallon of water every single day?

I mean, it's not exactly known for its delectable taste, amirite?

According to Dr. Berbari, those 64 ounces can technically come from any type of liquid that hydrates you.

So, yes, that means coffee can factor into those daily 64 ounces.

Dr. Berbari advises caution, though, because caffeinated drinks are diuretics, which can technically cause the body to "lose water."

Fortunately, it's safe to say the "too much water" problem is pretty rare when it comes to most of our diets.

If you feel like you're struggling to get those 64 ounces in every day, find a cute water bottle that you'll be happy to chug from all day.

Drink up, you cool cucumber.