The amount of water I drink (or don’t drink) is directly connected to the extent of my repetitive strain injuries caused by sitting at a desk. When I’m dehydrated, my muscles tense up and tighten much quicker, causing my posture to suffer. When I stay hydrated throughout the day, my posture is always easier to maintain. Improved posture is just one of the benefits of drinking water for me.
“90% of people are actually chronically dehydrated.” -Chris Powell, ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss
Disclaimer: The info in this article is not medical advice. I talk about my experience of what worked best for me. Be the best advocate possible for your own health. Do research, make decisions that are best for you, and consult a doctor when necessary.
How Much Water Do I Need To Drink Per Day
An old, common rule of thumb states we need to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (64 ounces total). I don’t think that’s enough for me. 64 ounces is a lot better than nothing. However, sitting at a desk all day is an endurance event. It may not feel very athletic, but many of our muscles and tendons are activated and overused for most of the day.
Nowadays, other recommendations have skyrocketed in ounces from the old norms. I’ve heard recommendations of drinking 1 ounce of water for every 1.5 pounds of body weight. To figure this out, you would take your body weight and divide it by 1.5. For example, I weigh 220 pounds. So, I’d drink about 147 ounces of water per day. That’s a huge difference compared to the old rule of thumb’s total 64 ounces.
I’ve definitely had days where I drank 147 ounces ounces of water. They were probably hot days where I was very physically active. I feel like that is way too much for me everyday, especially when I’m indoors all day sitting at a computer. That much water would make me feel bloated. I’d also have to use the restroom way too often. My urine would probably be almost clear while drinking that much water. I personally feel like if my urine doesn’t have a light yellow color to it, then my water intake is off. If it’s too clear, then I’m drinking too much water. If it’s a dark yellow, I know I’m not drinking enough.
I used to be a lot more into cardio and less into lifting weights. Believe it or not, I drank less water then, compared to how much I drink now. During this time, I was a lot lighter than I am now. I weighed about 190 pounds back then. I’d drink about 2.7 liters (91.3 ounces) of water per day. This amount happens to be another common standard that is talked about a lot. At the time, this amount of water was just right for me. The benefits of drinking 2.7 liters per day helped me feel good throughout the day. Even today, weighing in more at 220 pounds, I sometimes consume 2.7 liters per day. But, only when the temperature outside isn’t too hot and my physical activity level for the day isn’t too high. 2.7 liters is a good minimum threshold for me these days.
My favorite protocol is to drink half of my body weight in ounces of water per day. I feel the most health benefits from following this standard. Being 220 pounds, my intake would be 110 ounces per day. I never count exactly how many ounces I drink. 110 ounces is always my target, but I adjust it higher or lower depending on my daily variables. These variables can include my physical activity level, the temperature outside, how healthy I ate that day, and so on.
Stay hydrated, but don’t drink too much water.
There’s a fine line between not enough water and drinking too much. When I go to bed, I go somewhat dehydrated on purpose. This way, I won’t get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom multiple times. Good sleep is underrated. Side note: Sleep is also an important variable in maintaining good computer posture. To read more, check out my article titled, How to Sleep for Better Posture.
While sleeping, I’m breathing constantly which depletes even more of the hydration in my body. Then, the first thing I do when I wake up is get into a steamy shower. Breathing in steam and chlorine from that hot water depletes my body’s hydration even more. This is why I used to be exhausted when I would get to work in the morning at my old office job, even after a good night’s sleep. Then, I’d drink a caffeinated drink because I felt “tired”. I didn’t realize the reason I was “tired” is because I was dehydrated. Another problem was, the energy I’d get from the caffeine was going to be very short-lived, because there was no water in my body to take the caffeine through my system. At this point, I hadn’t been properly hydrated for at least 12 hours.
As we sit at a desk all day, even if we are athletic, it’s crucial that we take advantage of the benefits of drinking water. Aside from the water we need for our daily exercise, we’re also suffering 8+ hours per day from work-related stress, artificial lights, and breathing in dust that falls from the ceiling tiles. All these are major factors of dehydration.
How Much Water Do I Need To Drink Per Day
It’s impossible to recommend a specific amount of water that is accurate for everyone. There are so many different variables to consider when trying to figure it out. Everyone’s body weight, health conditions, physical activity levels, outdoor temperatures, eating habits, and drinking habits are very different. It’s up to each of us to figure out exactly how much water we need to drink.
Experiment with the same amount for a few days. If you feel good and energetic throughout the day, chances are that you either got it right or are very close. If you feel tired or sluggish at any point in the day (especially the morning), increase your water intake.
Here are some very helpful tips that can help you figure out your own answer to the question, “how much water do I need to drink per day?”
I Take These 5 Factors Into Consideration
1. Temperature
A day laying on the couch with an air conditioner will require a lot less water for me, than a day laying on the beach in the middle of the Summer.
2. Physical Activity Level
Rest days require a sufficient amount of water, but not as much as an intense workout day. I would estimate that I drink an extra 50% of water on a hot day outside as opposed to a cool rest day indoors. For example, if I drank 100 ounces on a cool rest day, I might drink 150 ounces on a very hot day where my physical activity level is high.
3. Body Weight
Over the last 7 years or so, my weight has fluctuated between 180 and 230 pounds. The more I weigh, the more water I need to drink, in order to get good benefits of drinking water.
4. Amount of Alcohol, Caffeine, and Sugar Consumption
These 3 are huge enemies of hydration. I take them in moderation as much as possible. Whenever I consume them, I make sure I drink a glass of water either before or after. It helps with my digestion. The alcohol, caffeine, and sugar will have less of a dehydration effect on my body. When drinking caffeine, I make sure my intake is under 100 mg per serving. I make sure it is sugar free. Finally, I mix my caffeinated drink with about 16 ounces of water. This helps me stay hydrated and avoid jitters throughout my workout.
I keep an eye on the sugar in sports drinks. I usually don’t drink sports drinks at all. Some companies market them as healthy, but they just have too much sugar for me. Instead, I’ll add a healthy electrolyte packet (that doesn’t contain sugar) into my water. I’ll get into this more in a future article.
5. Water Quality
Here are some personal choices of mine in regards to water quality. I usually drink Fiji water or Liquid Death mountain water. I’m not compensated by either of these companies. I’m just a fan of the products. I buy them with my own money. Both brands include necessary minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and silica (to name a few). I’ve noticed health benefits since I started solely drinking these two brands about a year ago. It didn’t seem like a big difference right away. It did take some time. I generally feel better throughout the day, have higher energy levels, and quicker recovery times. I also feel like I don’t need to drink as much water when I drink a higher quality. It’s more fulfilling and allows me to stay hydrated quicker.
I don’t drink purified water because it lacks the above minerals. However, I tried drinking a bottle of purified water the other day when it was the only option. After drinking high quality water only for the last year, this purified water tasted very strange. I could easily notice the lack of minerals. I didn’t feel like it helped me stay hydrated at all, even though it was water. In a strange way, I felt less hydrated after drinking it. It felt like something was missing. Finally, it weirdly made my mouth salivate and I felt the urge to spit the more I drank.
I also don’t drink tap water. A lot of cities near where I live pride their tap water as being very clean. I don’t doubt that. However, it takes chemicals to clean and kill the bacteria in water. These low amounts of chemicals often still come out of our tap. The more I’ve gotten used to drinking a higher quality water, the more I can taste the chlorine in my tap water. A lot of municipalities say it’s not a harmful amount of chemicals that come out of the tap. But, that doesn’t mean it’s the best option, or even a healthy option for me.
Finally, I don’t drink sparkling water. Without even getting into the health benefits of it, I just don’t enjoy it. I’d personally rather have plain Fiji or Liquid Death most of the day. Then, once or twice a day, I’ll add a packet of flavored electrolytes to my cups of water.
Summary
I drink at least one glass of water immediately when I wake up (every morning).
Determine your own daily amount of water to drink. I generally shoot for half my body weight in ounces. 220 pounds multiplied by .5 equals 110 ounces per day. I always adjust this amount, depending on the 5 daily factors that I listed above in this article.
The healthier I eat, the less water I feel like I need to drink. Nutrient-dense, whole foods are very often filled with water. Especially when those foods are fruits and vegetables.
The more alcohol, caffeine, and sugar I consume, the more cups of water I need to drink that day. If I have a caffeinated drink (with no sugar), I’ll mix it with 16 ounces of water. If I have a dessert, I’ll drink a glass of water before or after.
Thanks for your interest in sitting posture.
If this article was helpful, check out my book titled “45 Ways to Improve Computer Posture.” It’s available in both digital and paperback versions.
>>> Click here to pick up your copy
This book explains how to improve your posture through different variables of health and wellness. These include sitting posture, standing posture, sleep, hydration, and breathing. Poor posture is not just how we sit at a computer. The health habits we practice, 24 hours a day, are directly related to how good (or bad) our computer posture is.
Go to SittingPosture.com/book to learn more.
Take care,
Todd Bowen
P.S. You can sign up for my free computer posture newsletter here.
i rehydrate in the morning feel much better
🙂