Do we drink enough water daily in Eastern Washington state?
During the summer season, I always am concerned about whether or not I'm drinking enough water. Not just for basic hydration, but also because of the meds that I take. When you have summer weather like we've been having over the last several weeks with temperatures running into the mid to upper 90s, hydration is important.
Coventry Direct did some research where they surveyed 2500 people across the United States about their hydration habits.
What is recommended?
When asked. Microsoft Copilot says.
“The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that healthy women consume about 9 cups (2.1 liters) and men about 13 cups (3 liters) of total fluids daily, including water from beverages and food Harvard University. This is considered a baseline to prevent dehydration under normal conditions.”
Those numbers pretty much coincide with the numbers I was given (maybe just a little high) when my doctor was recommending the amount of water I should be drinking on a daily basis. Keep in mind, though that definition said total fluids, not specifically water.
According to coventrydirect.com.
‘To learn more about how Americans stay hydrated, we surveyed more than 2,500 people across the country about how much water they drink each day, how often they feel dehydrated, what prevents them from drinking more water, and which bottled and reusable water brands they prefer most.’
So, what did they learn?
The first thing they learned from this non-scientific survey is that in general very few people are hydrating at the recommended level. The national average for hydration from this survey is 6.5 cups a day, which is way lower than the recommended 11.5 cups a day. Also keep in mind that the amount of water needed varies with age, sex, Activity Levels, and climate.
Based on the survey, Nebraska is in general the most hydrated state in the USA taking in an average of 7.56 cups of water a day.
On the other end of the spectrum, Arkansas is the least hydrated state in America, taking in an average of 5.12 cups of water per day.
Where does Washington stand?
Washington state doesn't do too bad in this survey as far as rankings go, but still far short of the recommended minimum at 6.8 cups of water a day.
When you add to that, the higher temperatures in Eastern Washington and the abundance of smoke in the air, (Which requires more hydration.) that 6.8 cups falls far short.
How about reusable water bottles?
The other part of the survey asked about reusable water bottles and what everyone's preference was.
Based on their survey, approximately 83% of Americans have reusable water bottles of some kind and when asked about the type or brand of water bottle they used, The number one brand mentioned, (15%) was Stanley. Yeti only rated 10%.
At work I typically use a gigantic, insulated cup called "Bubba Keg." I've had it for years. It holds 52 ounces of ice water, and it works for me. I figure if I drink it dry before the end of my workday, I've pretty much come close to hitting my minimum requirements for hydration.
I did pick up a Yeti 32-ounce cup that I use when I'm on the road.
Just for fun, I bought my daughter Beth a Bubba Keg that she could use at work. I'm not sure if she does.
I mean, it could be fun. She could use it as a conversation starter.
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Gallery Credit: Heidi Kaye