A traditional bottle of water is 16.9 fluid ounces, which is a little more than 2 cups of water. So, how many ounces of water should you be drinking in a day?
The answer can vary daily based on your age, activity level and other factors. And there is such a thing as drinking too much water.
But Dr. Hans-David Hartwig, the pediatric emergency medicine director and coordinator at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, says, in general, H2O is always a good go-to.
“If you are going into that activity and you are not as hydrated, a sports drink is a reasonable initial choice, but really water still works pretty much better than anything,” Hartwig said.
The following breakdown is a good standard, but not a one-size-fits-all for water intake.
At rest
If you are resting indoors or not doing a strenuous activity, the CDC recommends that an adult drink between 4 ounces and 8 ounces of water an hour.
That comes out to about a quarter to a half of a standard bottle of water.
Active
If you are exercising, working in the extreme heat or participating in a sport, the amount goes up to 8 to 12 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes, which equals about 24 to 32 ounces an hour.
That comes out to just about 1.5 to 2 standard bottles of water.
Too much water?
No one should ever drink more than 48 ounces of water per hour -- or about three standard bottles of water.
Drinking too much water can cause hyponatremia, or water intoxication, which dangerously dilute your blood sodium levels.
When your kidneys cannot filter out the excess fluid fast enough, water enters your cells, causing them to swell. This can end up leading to severe headaches, nausea, seizures, or possibly even death.