Is It OK To Have Less Water in Colder Months of the Year?

How many glasses of water should you really have?

The onset of winter lowers temperatures and also initiates the loss of moisture from your body due to dryness. In this season, your body requires more fluids to eliminate possibilities of chapped lips, acne, flaky skin and dry cough. So, to cope with the reduced moisture level of your body, the right amount of water intake is necessary.

How does your body lose water even when you sweat less?

Winter, unlike the other seasons of the year, is devoid of hot, sunny days, but that doesn’t mean that your body is free from water loss. Generally, heat generated by furnaces, heaters and fires are the reasons behind sweating in winter. Also, water leaves your body during winters through the steamy breath you exhale when exposed to lower temperatures.

What are the risks of drinking less water in winters?

Dehydration in winters can negatively affect your body, ranging from causing common cold or flu to serious issues like stroke. Moreover, when your body lacks hydration, you may experience bizarre appetite patterns. This is caused due to the fact that less fluid consumption results in lack of energy in the body. This leads your body towards utilising the available fat for energy, making you thirsty, which is often misunderstood as hunger.

So how much water should you drink on cold winter days?
The amount of water intake required in winter varies from person to person due to the difference in gender and physical activities performed by a person throughout the day. However, amount of water intake in winters may be approximated as follows:

1. For Men: 8 to 10 glasses of water consumption per day is ideal for men with normal activity levels

2. For Women: Commonly, women should drink between 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day to keep themselves healthy

3. For Men Who Workout: Men with a regular exercise regime should have a raised water consumption amount of 10 to 14 glasses every day

4. For Women Who Workout: Women who exercise daily should increase their water intake to 8 to 12 glasses each day

5. For Lactating Mothers: In case of lactating/breast feeding mothers, 7 to 10 glasses of water intake per day is considered to be ideal

Sticking to these many glasses a day during winters can prove to be difficult for people facing extreme climates; but there are certain things you can do to increase your water consumption.

How can you increase your water consumption?

There are numerous ways, which let you increase your water consumption during winters without directly drinking water. These are-

1. Include more water based fruits (watermelons, pineapples, grapes etc) and vegetables (radish, spinach, cauliflower etc) in your daily diet to hydrate your body

2. Train yourself to drink water all through your workout session by timing your water intake at regular intervals

3. Have a bowl of hot soup before your meals to increase your intake of water

4. Use a humidifier to inhale moist air instead of the dry air prevalent during winter

Water intake plays a vital role in the proper functioning of the human body and is as important in winter as in other seasons.