How Many Bottles of Water Should You Drink in a Day?

Water isn't the most exciting drink out there but it's the most important. Without enough water, you simply couldn't function.

But what is enough? The age-old recommendation to drink eight glasses of water a day may not be right for you.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about daily water intake, staying hydrated and hydration tips if you're not drinking enough.

A general guideline for daily water consumption for healthy adults is approximately 11 to 15 cups, according to the National Academies of Sciences. That's equal to 88 to 120 ounces.

Keep in mind, that doesn't all have to come from plain H2O. The general recommendation on how much water you should drink in a day includes any beverages, including coffee, tea, sports drinks, juice and other drinks. It is no longer believed that moderate caffeine consumption contributes to dehydration.

Plus, you also get water from food, especially water-rich produce like watermelon, cantaloupe, lettuce, celery and strawberries.

How much water you need a day will vary based on factors like your age, body size and physical activity, according to Harvard Health Publishing. If you live or work in a hot environment, you may lose more water through sweat and need to drink more throughout the day. A doctor or registered dietitian can help you determine your individual optimal water quantity if you're not sure where to start.

A disposable plastic water bottle is typically around 16 ounces of water. That means you'd need to drink 5.5 to 7.5 bottles a day to reach your daily fluid requirements (if you weren't drinking any other fluids).

Reusable water bottle sizes vary greatly. Here's how many bottles you'd need to drink based on a few different popular sizes:

Your body needs water for every single thing it does for you, according to the Mayo Clinic.

For example, water is important for:

• digestion
• blood pressure
• joint health
• regulating body temperature
• ridding the body of bacteria
• preventing constipation
• maintaining electrolyte balance

Dehydration occurs when your body doesn't have enough water to function properly. You can become dehydrated if you don't drink enough water, especially if you are losing an increased amount due to activity level or environment. Signs of dehydration can include dark urine, weakness, dizziness, confusion and low blood pressure, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

You'll know you're hydrated if your urine is a light yellow color and you're rarely thirsty, per the Mayo Clinic.

If your daily water consumption is low because you aren't a fan, there are some ways to jazz up your drink. Add fresh fruit, such as raspberries, blueberries or orange slices, to make boring water more exciting, or try one of these healthy water flavorings.

Drinking juice can add a lot of sugar to your diet, but diluting your juice with water can be a way to add more water each day. If soda is your drink of choice, try flavored sparkling water to get the fizz you love with less sugar and calories.

If you tend to forget to sip, keep a water bottle visible and handy at all times. You can even try leaving yourself sticky notes or calendar reminders to drink throughout the day.