Sip Sip guide
How much water should I drink a day? A simple daily goal
For most healthy adults, 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day, roughly 1.5 to 2 litres, is a sensible everyday target. You need more when it's hot, when you exercise and when you're bigger, and less from drinks when you eat lots of watery food. A simple personal goal is about 33 ml for every kilogram you weigh, plus a little extra for activity and warm weather.
The usual advice
Health services give simple, round numbers because everyone's needs are a bit different. The figures below are a good place to start:
| Guide | What it says | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Glasses a day | 6 to 8 glasses or mugs of fluid | 1.5–2 L |
| Total water, women | From drinks and food together | about 2 L |
| Total water, men | From drinks and food together | about 2.5 L |
"Total water" includes the water in food, which usually covers around a fifth of it. That's why the drinks-only figure is a little lower. None of these numbers are exact targets: think of them as a range that suits most people on an ordinary day.
Working out your own goal
A bigger body generally uses more water, so a goal based on weight is a handy personal starting point:
- Multiply your weight in kilograms by 33 ml. At 65 kg that's about 2,150 ml. (In pounds, multiply by about 0.5 fl oz.)
- Add a little for activity. Around 350 ml if you're moderately active, 700 ml if you're very active.
- Adjust for where you live. Add a few hundred millilitres in a hot climate, and a little less in a cool one.
- Round it and try it for a week. If you're often thirsty, nudge it up. If it feels like a chore, bring it down.
Worked example
Weight: 65 kg × 33 ml = 2,145 ml.
Activity: moderately active, + 350 ml = 2,495 ml.
Goal: rounded to 2,500 ml, about ten 250 ml glasses, some of which can be tea, coffee or milk. On a 26° day you might add another 250 ml.
When to drink more
- Hot weather. You sweat more, even when you don't notice it.
- Exercise. Drink before and after, and sip during longer sessions.
- Being unwell with a temperature, sickness or diarrhoea, when you lose more fluid.
- Air travel and heated rooms, where the air is dry.
Which drinks count
Almost every drink adds fluid. Water is the simplest choice because it has no sugar or caffeine, but you don't have to drink only water.
- Tea and coffee count. Caffeine has a mild effect, but a normal cup still adds more fluid than it takes away.
- Milk, sparkling water and squash count too. Lower-fat milk and sugar-free squash are lighter everyday options.
- Juice, smoothies and fizzy drinks count, but they're high in sugar, so keep them to a small glass.
- Food counts. Soup, fruit, vegetables and yoghurt all contain plenty of water.
Signs you're drinking enough
The easiest check is the colour of your urine: pale straw-coloured usually means you're drinking enough. Dark yellow urine, feeling thirsty, a dry mouth, tiredness or a mild headache are hints to have a drink. Thirst is a useful guide for most people, though it can be less reliable as you get older, which is where a simple daily goal helps.
Tracking it on a phone
Keeping count in your head rarely works past lunchtime. Sip Sip turns it into a small, cheerful habit:
- Tap to log a drink and watch the jar fill for your animal buddy. Choose water, tea, coffee, milk, juice, soup and more; each drink type counts by how hydrating it is, so a coffee counts a little less than a glass of water.
- Your goal is worked out for you in the Me tab from your weight, activity and climate, the same way as above, and it can add a little on hot days using the local weather. Prefer your own number? Type a manual goal.
- Millilitres or ounces, whichever you're used to.
- Reminders nudge you through your active hours while Sip Sip is open in a tab, and stop once you reach your goal.
- History, streaks and challenges show how your week went, and new buddies unlock as your streak grows.
Sip Sip is free with no account and no ads, works offline, and keeps your log on your device. Every tracking feature is free. The optional Buddy Pack ($2.99 once) unlocks every buddy and outfit straight away instead of by streak.
Tips for drinking more water
- Start the day with a glass. It's an easy one to tick off before breakfast.
- Pair drinks with things you already do: a glass with every meal, a refill each time you make a cup of tea.
- Keep a bottle in sight on your desk or in your bag.
- Add flavour with a slice of lemon, cucumber or a few berries if plain water bores you.
- Spread it out. Little and often is more comfortable than a lot at once.
Common mistakes
- Treating 8 glasses as a strict rule. It's a rough guide, and your needs change with the weather and your day.
- Forgetting that other drinks count. Your morning tea is part of the total.
- Catching up all at once in the evening, then waking up in the night.
- Forcing down far more than you need. More is not always better.
- Ignoring a doctor's fluid advice in favour of a general number.
Questions
How much water should I drink a day?
A common rule of thumb for adults is 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day, roughly 1.5 to 2 litres, with more when it's hot or you're active. Needs vary from person to person, so treat any number as a starting point.
Do tea and coffee count towards my water intake?
Yes. Tea, coffee, milk and other drinks all add fluid. Plain water is still the easiest everyday choice because it has no sugar or caffeine.
Does food count towards hydration?
Yes. Fruit, vegetables, soup and other foods provide some of your water each day, which is one reason drink targets are rough guides rather than exact amounts.
How can I tell if I'm drinking enough?
A useful everyday sign is pale straw-coloured urine and rarely feeling thirsty. Dark urine and thirst are hints to drink a bit more.
Can you drink too much water?
Yes, very large amounts in a short time can be harmful. Spread your drinks through the day and don't force down far more than you need. If a doctor has given you a fluid limit, follow that.
How does Sip Sip set my goal?
It multiplies your weight in kilograms by 33 ml, adds a little for activity and a hot climate, and can add more on a warm day using the local weather. You can type your own goal instead at any time.