Dehydration is not good for us!

How do we know if we are suffering from dehydration, i.e. drinking too little water?

We can look at the colour of our urine or pee. The more dehydrated we are, the darker the colour of our urine or pee. If we notice our urine or pee looking darker than usual, it is time for us to drink more water.

Read about how we can drink more water in school by downloading the "How to drink more water at school" PDF.

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"How to drink more water at school.pdf".

On the other hand, we should also avoid overhydrating!

Just because water is good for us doesn't mean we should overhydrate, i.e. drink too much water! Overhydration is also not healthy for us.

We will know we are drinking too much water if:

Our urine or pee is very clear most of the time.
We are peeing frequently, e.g. 10 or more times a day.
We are feeling bloated or nauseous.
We are having a headache or brain fog (i.e. confusion, forgetfulness, and a lack of focus and mental clarity).

Hydrate in Moderation

Remember to drink enough water to avoid dehydration, but in moderation to avoid overhydration.

Watch the video to find out how much water we should drink each day.

Healthline. (2022, May 13). How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day | Healthline [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_lsm9zSXG8

How Much is One Glass?

A glass of water is about 8 ounces or about 250ml.

A 1L (one litre) water bottle will be equal to four (4) glasses of water. We can finish our water bottle by 1.30pm to 2pm, refill it, and then finish drinking the water in our water bottle by bedtime to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

If you are not sure, you can ask your parents, a family member, or an adult for help.

Schedule in water breaks

We can schedule in short water breaks during our day to make sure we meet our hydration needs.

The following are some suggested times we can drink water:

After we wake up.
30 minutes before eating a meal.
1 hour after eating a meal.
Before we shower or bathe.
Before we go to sleep.

For example: If we aim to drink 8 glasses of water a day, our schedule could look like the table below. Modify it to suit your day and/or the size of your water bottle.

Time	Drink	Description
7am	1 Glass / To 3 Quarter Mark (1L water bottle)	Drink water just after waking up. Take breakfast at least half an hour after drinking water.
9am	1 Glass / To Half Mark (1L water bottle)	Drink water an hour after breakfast.
11.30am	1 Glass / To 1 Quarter Mark (1L water bottle)	Have water 30 minutes before lunch.
1.30pm	1 Glass / Finish the 1L water bottle and refill it	Drink water an hour after lunch to allow the nutrients from the food to be better absorbed by the body.
3pm	1 Glass / To 3 Quarter Mark (1L water bottle)	Have a non-sweetened drink to freshen the mind.
5pm	1 Glass / To Half Mark (1L water bottle)	Drinking water will keep us feeling full and prevent overeating during dinner.
8pm	1 Glass / To 1 Quarter Mark (1L water bottle)	Drink water an hour after dinner and before showering.
10pm	1 Glass / Finish the 1L water bottle and refill it for the next day	Drink water an hour before bedtime to aid in the cell renewal process during our sleep.