Do you think 500ml of liquid is enough a day ?

[luluxxx]

So I’ve been feeling crappy lately
Tired,achy muscles /bit headachy etc
Then I realised I don’t really drink much
I struggle to even drink a 500ml bottle of water.
i will have 1/4 of a cup of tea on a morning then sip water all day and by the end of the day there will still be some left in the 500ml bottle.

Could this be making me feel a bit crap ?
how much do you all drink ?chat

This person is quite clearly dehydrated if they only drink 25% of the recommended allowance. Suggesting they add SALT to their diet is irresponsible, dangerous, and will make them feel worse.

For goodness sake.

My mum has been having to restrict her fluid intake for the last few weeks, doctor instructed, to prepare for some testing - she’s been told to restrict it to 1500ml/day, which is less than recommended usual intake. So I’d imagine less than a third of the doctor’s “low fluid” amount would be much too little.

You probably don’t feel thirsty because you’re in a permanent state of dehydration and have forgotten what non-thirsty feels like. Aim to drink eg 1.5-2litres per day for a couple of weeks, like taking your medicine, and see how you feel.

That's the amount for someone on dialysis deliberately having to restrict their fluid intake if you want it in some perspective.

It is very low. Can you increase it slightly each day to get to a more appropriate level?

What do you enjoy drinking? Could you try fruit or herbal teas for example? Find something that appeals more.

Same my thirst cues aren’t like a dry mouth obvious thirst but I just feel wrong and a bit off. As soon as I drink a glass of water it’s like a weight lifted and I feel better.

I think people can become chronically dehydrated over time so they don’t know thirst signals anymore as it’s just their normal feeling

You don’t have to feel thirsty to drink though.

It wouldn't be enough for me. I drink half a litre of decaf first thing. Today I've had another litre of decaf, and a handful of cherry tomatoes and two satsumas, which are all mostly water.

I'll have at least another litre of fluids before I turn in.

I had a conversation with a doctor yesterday who said 400 mls was just about ok for kidney function.

I can feel like this too, it’s not an obvious dry mouth feeling like if I’ve been exercising hard. Like you say it’s kind of a weighty feeling, a bit like my body is contracting and my head is getting heavy.
I’ve been on a medication for about 10 years which can cause dry mouth, I think my body now thinks that’s a normal feeling so I have to keep on top of water intake. I feel best at 3-4 litres a day even when not exercising but all the peeing is inconvenient

Have you always drank so little?

If so I doubt that's why your feeling crap now, but just pick up a bottle and drink it.

You will just have to force yourself to build a habit for a few weeks and soon enough it'll be your new normal.

I can't function without a drink near by, love my water and also I drink pop.

I was like you OP, hardly drank anything and yes, felt shitty most of the time. Then I got a really physical job (while perimenopausal and constantly hot!) and found I really needed to drink. Now I get through 2 big water bottles (I think about 750ml each) and a cup of tea during work, plus probably another 3 cups of tea and 2 or 3 glasses of water at home in a day. I do feel better for it, I don't feel like I pee excessively and it's always pale in colour these days, and I'm definitely brighter and less sluggish I would say. No UTI's in a long time either and I used to suffer a lot, also only one very mild cold this winter when I usually get several bad ones although no idea if that's connected!

I don't feel thirsty during the day, but drink 2 cups of coffee. I have a 750ml water bottle on my desk and try and drink that during the day.

During the evening I can drink 2-3 pints of squash

I drink about a litre + 2 cups of tea and 3 cups of herbal tea. So around 2L all in.

Easiest way for me is I wake up and chug 500ml at once. When I get home I do the same. That’s 1L down.

So I’ve been feeling crappy lately
Tired,achy muscles /bit headachy etc

This is your body telling you that you're not drinking enough.

Also agree with the salt comment earlier.

According to the BDA you're not drinking enough to sustain a healthy infant:
https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/fluid-water-drinks.html

I’m the same, doesn’t occur to me to drink. I rarely get thirsty I’ve not had a drink yet today. I’ve bought a water bottle with a straw I’m trying to use even with some squash, but I’m better at it at work than in the house.

@Parsleyformecaffinated drinks do count towards fluids btw. Only alcohol doesn’t!

I aim to drink 3l a day but often only make it to 2. I have 4 750ml bottles that I fill at the start of each day. I have 4 coloured bands that go around said bottles (red, orange, green and yellow). I drink the bottles in that order each day and aim to get to the yellow (which is supposed to represent gold standard). But if I only make it to green I’m still doing ok. 500ml is definitely not enough each day

Yes, I’d feel like crap if that’s all I drank. I drink 2 litres just of water over the course of my waking hours, plus other drinks, coffee, tea and herbal tea.

It is a conscious thing though. I am on meds that can affect my kidneys, so I do force myself to drink the water. I drink like half a pint glass at a time, several times a day, no sipping.

What’s your fruit and veg intake like OP? You may be getting additional liquid from those. 500 mls sounds low, so it’s worth trying to increase your intake and see what happens. It doesn’t need to be water, as other posters have already said. Tea, coffee and squash are fine too.

I use to be like this now I always have a bottle of water with me and drink about 3l a day now

Are you often constipated? Not drinking enough water can really affect your digestion.

Your brain is probably desiccated. You will almost certainly feel better if you drink more.

My DH has no kidneys and is a dialysis patient. He obviously doesn't urinate at all and he has a litre a day goal.

My advice to you is to drink at least 2L a day and put some Baja Gold salt in it which has 80 odd minerals in it. It will make you feel much better.

You're not looking after yourself, and yes you need to drink more.

Set an alarm on your phone, walk to a tap, drink a glass of water. Repeat 6-8 times daily!

3.2L/daily as a minimum and up to 5L/day when including coffee/tea/stock cubes etc which can be included.

Apparently, all liquid can be included apart from milk (which counts as food) and alcohol.

Garmin (fitness watch) told me above was correct and amount correct for my weight and activity level.

I read an article, recently, that said something like 80% of people are chronically dehydrated. I can't remember what the implications of that were, though.