You’ve probably heard “8 glasses of water a day” a thousand times. In reality, hydration needs vary from person to person.
Factors include body size, weather, activity level, medical conditions and diet. Someone who sweats a lot, exercises in heat, or eats very salty/spicy food may need more fluids than someone mostly indoors with a light diet.
Plain water is great, but fluids also come from soups, fruits, vegetables, buttermilk and other drinks. Over-focusing on a fixed number can make you ignore what your body is actually saying.
Thirst is a useful signal, but not perfect. Very busy or older people sometimes don’t notice thirst properly. Dark yellow, strong-smelling urine, dry mouth, and headaches can hint at dehydration.
On the other side, drinking extreme amounts of water very fast “for detox” can be harmful in rare cases, especially if you have certain health issues. Balance is key.
A simple guide: sip through the day, drink a bit more in hot weather or with exercise, and adjust based on how you feel. If you have kidney, heart or other conditions, follow your doctor’s specific fluid advice.