As I start my second year at ASU, I am reminded of just how hot it can get in Arizona. After surviving 24 brutal winters in Connecticut, I would take the heat any day, but it still comes with some serious life adjustments. When I first moved here and had to jump back into the crazy routine of a graduate student in 119 degree weather, I found myself constantly dehydrated, exhausted, and getting headaches. I knew drinking more water would solve a lot of my problems, but it was hard to make that adjustment.
For some reason, finding the time and willpower to stay hydrated every day is incredibly hard, even for someone like me who works in a hydration science research lab. It also seems impossible to meet the common 8×8 goal of eight 8 oz glasses of water a day (64 oz), which often discourages people from trying at all. Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that there’s actually no scientific basis for the 8×8 rule, and the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intake for total water intake actually recommends women 19-30 years old to be consuming 2.7 liters per day. That translates to about 91 oz per day, or over eleven 8 oz glasses per day. Don’t let this discourage you! The good news is that plain water isn’t the only way to reach your hydration goals and you’re probably doing better than you think.
This dietary recommendation is for total water intake. All beverages and foods you consume throughout the day also contribute to total water intake. Thus, there are many easy ways you can (and may already) hydrate throughout the day outside of plain water. For example, ICED COFFEE contributes to your total water intake! There is a huge misconception that coffee dehydrates you. While caffeine is a diuretic (promotes water loss in the body), several studies have determined that coffee consumed in moderation does not cause dehydration. Fruits and vegetables are another great way to hydrate. We all know we should be eating more of them anyway and they typically have a high water content! For example, apples are ~85% water. Therefore a medium apple contributes ~5 oz of water to your daily intake! If you are really curious, you can look up the water content of other foods using the USDA Food Composition Databases.
At the end of the day, plain water is the best way to keep yourself hydrated, but it should not be a daunting task that seems impossible to accomplish. As we start this new school year, keep in mind that in addition to helping you survive the Arizona heat, water also plays a role in your cognitive function and mood. When your body is not adequately hydrated, you can experience reduced cognitive function (e.g. impairments in memory and attention), greater sensations of fatigue, worsened mood, and more. School is hard enough as it is, so don’t make it even harder to stay on top of things and be successful.