5 Myths About Dehydration

What myths have you heard about hydration? There are myths about practically every type of health issue, including dehydration. If you believe any of them, you may not be hydrating properly.

1. Your body needs 8 glasses of water a day.
You may need more. You may need less. Everyone’s body is different. How much water you need depends on your water and your level of activity that day.

2. You can get water from anything.
You do get an amount of water from food and from all drinks. But these water sources can have additives that actually contribute to dehydration, such as salt and caffeine. Not all water is made equal.

3. You’re already dehydrated once you’re thirsty.
It is true that once you’re experiencing dehydration (such as headaches), you will need to hydrate for longer to reduce those negative effects. But being thirsty is your body’s way of saying that you now need water. If you drink water soon enough, you can avoid these negative impacts.

4. You can get sick from drinking too much water.
If you drink so much water that you throw off your sodium and electrolyte balance, you can get sick. But this is a tremendous amount of water; often you’d have to be chugging gallons. Ordinary water usage should not make you sick, especially if you’re drinking well-balanced water.

5. You need to drink water until your urine runs clear.
For many people, urine may almost never run clear. And that’s fine. Drinking too much water can be unhealthy, as noted above; you want your urine to be light-colored, but clear is usually going to be excessive.

Staying hydrated is about listening to your body and being mindful about the liquids you’re consuming. Drink high quality water when you’re thirsty and you’ll be taking the right first steps.