I feel like drinking water is one of those wellness habits we’ve somehow made unnecessarily complicated.

One person says eight glasses.

Someone on TikTok is carrying around a bottle roughly the size of a small child.

Your friend swears she drinks four litres a day.

And suddenly you’re looking at the half-full glass on your desk thinking:

Am I… dehydrated?

So I wanted to actually look into it.

Because yes, hydration matters, a lot, but the answer to “How much water should I drink?” isn’t quite as simple as we’ve been told.

Myth: Everyone needs eight glasses of water a day

Not exactly.

There isn’t one magic amount of plain water that every human needs.

The National Academies set an Adequate Intake for total water at around 2.7 litres per day for adult women and 3.7 litres for adult men. But here’s the part that often gets left out of the Instagram infographic:

That includes water from food and all beverages, not just glasses of plain water.

For women, roughly 2.2 litres, or about nine cups, in the data used to establish those guidelines came from beverages, with the remainder coming from food.

So no, you don’t necessarily need to stand over the kitchen sink at 9pm aggressively drinking another litre because your water bottle says you’re behind schedule.

Fact: Your food Is hydrating you too

This one weirdly made me feel better about myself.

Watermelon.

Cucumber.

Oranges.

Berries.

Yoghurt.

Soups.

Vegetables.

Even your morning iced matcha.

They’re all contributing fluid.

The National Academies estimated that around 20% of total water intake in the U.S. data they examined came from food.

Obviously, this isn’t an argument for replacing your water bottle with watermelon.

But hydration is a bigger picture than how many glasses of plain water you’ve managed to drink.

Myth: There’s one perfect number for everyone

This is probably the biggest hydration myth.

Your water needs can change depending on what your day looks like.

If you’ve spent the afternoon lying on the couch watching Netflix, your needs aren’t necessarily going to be the same as someone who just ran 15 kilometres in summer.

Exercise, sweating, hot weather, pregnancy, breastfeeding, illness and some medications can all affect how much fluid you need.

This is why I think rigid hydration goals can sometimes miss the point.

The goal isn’t to win at water.

The goal is to stay hydrated.

Fact: Your body Is actually pretty good at asking

For most healthy adults, thirst is genuinely useful.

The National Academies concluded that the vast majority of healthy people can meet their daily hydration needs by allowing thirst to guide them alongside their usual drinks with meals.

Which I love because sometimes wellness advice basically acts as though our bodies have absolutely no idea what they’re doing.

They’re actually quite clever.

If you’re thirsty?

Drink.

If you’ve been sweating?

Drink more.

If it’s ridiculously hot outside?

You’re probably going to need more.

And if you’ve reached 4pm and suddenly realize the only liquid you’ve consumed all day was an iced matcha…

Perhaps locate the water bottle.

But hydration really does matter

The fact that we don’t need to obsess over an exact number doesn’t mean hydration isn’t important.

Water helps regulate body temperature, supports digestion and nutrient absorption, helps maintain fluid balance, and is involved in normal brain and body function. Even mild dehydration can leave you feeling lower in energy or make clear thinking harder.

And this is something I’ve become much more aware of.

Sometimes I think I need another coffee.

Or food.

Or a nap.

Or an entirely new life.

And then I drink some water and realize…

Oh.

That helped considerably.

What about electrolytes?

Electrolytes have become extremely wellness-girl coded lately.

And they absolutely have a purpose.

When you’re sweating heavily, especially during prolonged exercise or hot weather, you’re losing both water and electrolytes, including sodium. In those situations, replacing fluids and electrolytes can matter more than simply drinking plain water.

But you don’t necessarily need to turn every glass of water into a supplement.

If you’re eating normally, doing a regular day of activity and not losing significant amounts of fluid through sweat, your diet is already providing electrolytes.

Again: context matters.

So, how much should you actually drink?

I think the least annoying answer is:

Enough for your body and your day.

The general reference points are useful. For adult women, that’s around 2.7 litres of total water per day; for adult men, around 3.7 litres. But those aren’t universal prescriptions or minimum quotas you need to hit perfectly every day.

Your climate matters.

Your movement matters.

Your food matters.

Your body matters.

And your needs aren’t necessarily going to look identical every day.

Personally, I think a much healthier relationship with hydration is simply becoming someone who remembers to drink throughout the day rather than trying to chug three litres before bed because an app made you feel guilty.

Keep water nearby.

Drink with your meals.

Have some before and after exercise.

Eat water-rich foods.

Pay attention when you’re thirsty.

And drink a little more when you’re sweating or spending the day in the heat.

Very revolutionary stuff, I know.

The Verdict

Myth: Every person needs exactly eight glasses of plain water every day.

Fact: Hydration needs are individual, and your total intake includes water from beverages and food.

You don’t need to make hydration another wellness metric to obsess over.

Drink consistently.

Pay attention to your thirst and your circumstances.

Eat nourishing foods.

Adjust when you’re sweating more.

And maybe refill the glass that’s been sitting next to you for the last four hours.

I know it’s there (lol)