Drinking water in plenty is more possible and practical in the scorching summers but some experts advise that drinking water in requisite quantities is way more important in the winter months. This is because in the summer months the body itself demands and shows more signs of drinking water to keep the body hydrated but in the winter months this becomes less. And it is during these cold and freezing months that we often end up drinking water less than a glass a day, as we experience less thirst and don’t sweating.
When the weather is hot, most of us are eager to run to the refrigerator and grab the coldest of bottle of water and glug it down rapidly. But in the winter months, drinking water becomes minimal and the only fluids we take during the day are hot cups of coffee and tea which is a highly unhealthy practice as the change in season makes very little difference in diminishing the importance and requirement of water by the body.
Health experts say good hydration is essential because the body is mostly water based-- about 70 percent overall. Doctors around the world advise, that the quantity of drinking water can never be specific, therefore one should drink water according to their body weight and according to activities they do during the day. People often don't recognize the early signs of mild dehydration. “Thirst is a good indicator, but a late indicator”, says Nita Menon, senior Doctor at a famous multispecialty hospital in Delhi. Besides, drinking water in lesser quantities in the cold winter months often leads to lesser lubrication and therefore lesser fluid around joints, mucus membranes, eyes and the spinal cord. Drinking water is essential as it eliminates the most common problem of constipation in the winter months. Drinking water with honey and lemon as the first thing in the morning flushes out all the toxins from the system and keeps one in shape. Drinking water is the key preventer of acne as well. Skin specialists always suggest drinking up to almost 10 glasses of water a day to avoid dry, dull and scaly skin during the winter months.
Here are some questions most of us might ask still:
1) Why do I need to drink water if I am not sweating?? - And the answer is maintaining hydration is vital for the proper functioning of the body, irrespective of season. Thanks to the biting cold, we end up being locked up in our rooms, in front of a cozy fireplace or heater and eat all day long. Such unhealthy habits of drinking no water, lesser activity during the day and eating more, always adds those extra kilos to our belly in the winter months and then takes months to get rid of! Drinking water increases the metabolism rate and hastens the process of digestion.
2) How much water should I drink? - Like we mentioned above, the quantity of water one must take can never be specified exactly and varies from the activities you do to the weight of your body. But this is a safe minimum to answer your question.
Men: 8 – 10 glasses of water
Women: 6 – 8 glasses of water
Exercising men: 10 – 14 glasses of water
Exercising women: 8 – 12 glasses of water
Lactating women: 7 – 10 glasses of water
3) How can I increase my water intake? – If knowing the benefits of drinking water doesn’t inspire you enough, we suggest some creative ways to help you increase your water intake. Soups are everyone’s favorite in winters and clear soups are a great source of increasing the water content in the body. Try switching to different flavors of herbal tea this winter. They are rich in antioxidants and are best had with less or no sugar. Therefore these do not harm the body like coffee does.
The main source or fluid in our body should be water. After all, we evolved drinking water, not juice, coffee or flavored drinks.
