Am I drinking enough water?

By Dr. Wale Okediran

I am a 65- year old retiree. As an elderly person, I have been advised to drink lots of water. Kindly let me know how to know how much water I should drink.

Aminat (by SMS)

Yes, it is true that your body needs plenty of fluid to work properly and to help stop you getting constipation. Aim to drink about six to eight glasses of water, or other fluids, every day to stop you getting dehydrated. When the weather is warm or when you get active, your body is likely to need more than this. As you get older, your sense of thirst reduces which means you might not always feel thirsty when your body is already dehydrated. Keep a look out for the following symptoms of dehydration: urine has a dark colour and you don’t pass much when you go to the toilet, headaches, confusion and irritability as well as lack of concentration. As you get older, these signs of dehydration could also be signs of other issues so check with your doctor if you’re concerned about any symptoms.

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