You’ve probably heard that you should be drinking eight glasses of water a day. But exactly how much is that? Should it be an 8-ounce glass? And does it vary upon a person’s size? What if you’re an active person?

These are all valid questions, and Steuben Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing is here give you better guidelines to follow.

Activity Level Does Affect Water Requirements

Dietitians say you should hydrate with 2 cups (16 ounces total) of water before a workout and around 12 ounces every 20 minutes while exercising. If you’re exercising for more than an hour, a sports drink with electrolytes is a better option – you should consume 3 to 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes for workouts of an extended length.

Don’t Rely on Feeling Thirsty

If you’re thirsty, especially on a hot day, you may already be slightly or moderately dehydrated. Instead, rely on the color of urine. It should be a light yellow; if it’s a darker shade like apple juice, you need to be drinking more water.

Drink Half Your Body Weight in Ounces

Instead of the standard “eight glasses a day,” which equates to 64 ounces if you’re considering an 8-ounce glass, experts say a better guideline is to drink half your body weight in water per day. So if you weigh 180 pounds, you should be ingesting 90 ounces of water per day.

Hydrate Through Other Drinks and Food

If the thought of sucking down water all day isn’t appealing to you, you can also reach the required amount through other drinks and even food. Many people think that caffeine is a cause of dehydration, but one or two cups of coffee or tea can count toward your total, and most fruits, vegetables, and cooked grains are high in the water as well.

To learn more about Steuben Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit https://centershealthcare.com/steuben_center/.