Drink to
your health

Your body, including your heart, kidneys, and blood, needs daily water to function. Fluids keep your body hydrated and working well.

On this page learn more about:​

Click one of the links below to learn more

Smiling older adult in workout clothes flexing her arm while holding a yoga mat and water bottle outdoors.

How water helps your body

Your body, including your heart, kidneys, and blood, needs daily water to function. Fluids keep your body hydrated and working well.

  • Feel full and keep your hunger cues on track.
  • Regulates normal body temperature
  • Lubricate joints and organs
  • Remove waste through urination, sweating, and bowel movements.
  • Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells
  • Aids in cognitive function.

Tips to drink more water

  1. Carry a water bottle with you and refill it often.
  2. Choose water over other beverages. 3. 4. 5.
  3. Add fresh fruit, vegetables, or herbs (lemon, lime, berries, cucumbers, mint) to add a hint of flavor to your water.
  4. Schedule times to drink water throughout the day, set a goal for yourself, and keep track of your intake.
  5. Eat foods with a high water content at every meal. (Watermelon, cucumbers, berries, tomatoes, lettuce, pineapple, and grapes).
Three people of different ages performing a plank exercise on yoga mats in a gym, smiling and focused during a fitness class

Stay Hydrated, Not Dehydrated

Try to drink about 10 cups of fluid each day unless you are told otherwise by your health care provider. The recommended daily amount of water varies from person to person; it depends on age, activity, health, and environment. Another recommendation for how much fluid you need is to take your body weight and divide that by 2; the answer is how many ounces you need to drink per day.

Other Healthy Beverage Choices:

Glass cup of red tea and a white coffee mug with loose tea leaves and coffee beans on a wooden table.

#1
Plain coffee or tea

#2
Low-fat or fat-free milk or milk alternatives

#3
100% fruit or vegetable juice

#4
Low or no-calorie beverages

#5
Low sodium broth

Tips For Staying Hydrated With Older Age

#1
Thirst, dry lips, or dry mouth

Illustration of a bright orange flame against a blue background, representing overheating or flushed skin

#2
Flush skin

#3
Headache

Illustration of a light blue toilet with the lid open, representing urinary health and hydration. Caption: Dark or infrequent urination can be a sign that you need to drink more water.

#4
Dark yellow urine

Illustration of a man sitting on the ground holding his head, with spinning stars above, showing dizziness.

#5
Dizziness and/or fainting

#6
Low blood pressure and high heart rate

How to stay hydrated:

#1: Drink Regularly

Drink 8 cups*

Your body, including your heart, kidneys, and blood, needs daily water to function. Fluids keep your body hydrated and working well.

#2: Choose Water

Hands selecting a large plastic water bottle from a supermarket shelf filled with bottled water.

Choose water

Choose water when you are thirsty. Drink water when you wake up, and during meals and snacks

#3:
Plan ahead

A young man wearing a gray hoodie and green beanie drinks from a reusable water bottle while standing next to a tree in a sunlit forest.

Choose water

when you are thirsty. Drink water when you wake up, and during meals and snacks.

Have a question?
  • Email: cvh@uwyo.edu
Talk to an Extension Educator
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