When it comes to goals, I’m an all or nothing kind of person. When I want to be dedicated, you better believe nothing will get in my way. On the other hand, if I’m not really feeling it, I’ll probably just “forget” and let whatever I resolved to do fall to the wayside.
At the end of December, I set a number of goals for myself. Instead of directly reaching for the stars, I created “baby” goals, if you will, to help guide me along on a daily basis.
One of my daily goals is to drink at least 48 ounces of water every day. I’m proud to report that the actual number has been closer to 64 ounces. And I’ve honestly seen a positive difference in my energy and hunger levels since increasing my consumption. Go me!
But you know how they say too much of a good thing is sometimes a bad thing? Well, I think I experienced that the other day when I drank close to 80 ounces of water before dinnertime. I’m not 100% sure whether something was actually wrong, but I sure felt off. My heart literally felt heavy. I know that’s a weird thing to say, but it’s the best way to describe the feeling. I told Vishnu about my overconsumption of water and the symptom I was experiencing, but he didn’t think anything of it. I think his exact words were, “You’re fine, babe.” Ok then. I did some quick research and learned that it’s rare for anyone to drink too much water.
I felt better the next day, but I was still curious about what would happen if one were to drink too much water. We’re always bombarded with messages about drinking enough, but what are potential side effects of drinking too much. Here’s what I found…
– Drinking too much water can lead to a rare but potentially fatal condition called hyponatremia, where the body’s sodium levels drop, leading to brain swelling.
– Even if the sodium imbalances didn’t lead to the swelling of the brain, they could still cause confusion, seizures, and/or a coma.
– Other prominent signs of hyponatremia include loss of appetite, fatigue, hallucinations and convulsions.
So, even while it’s rare to experience any of the above, I personally think it’s important to take the appropriate steps to avoid overhydration, including…
– Drink small amounts of water at regular intervals.
– Drink sports drinks during extra long cardio sessions.
– Replenish your sodium levels with salty snacks, as your body body requires a certain amount lost through sweating.
– And always remember, don’t drink more than your thirst demands! Listen to you body.
While I still plan on drinking lots of water everyday, I think it’s important to understand the potential side effects of overdrinking because like I said, sometimes I’m a little too all or nothing – it’s easy for me to take things too far!
Be honest, how much water do you drink on a daily basis?
***Please remember, I’m not a health care professional. All of the information provided in this post is based on my independent research. Please consult with your doctor if you have any health concerns or issues.***
I’ve heard that too much of a water can be a bad thing but I think that you would probably talking in double digits worth of liters daily! I probably drink 3-4 liters daily thanks to my numerous cups of herbal tea during the day and the only downfall I’ve found is that I spend half my life in the restroom…ha ha not quite but it’s a pain to keep needing to wake up throughout the night!
Whoops I posted from our work blog. Take two:
I’ve heard that too much of a water can be a bad thing but I think that you would probably talking in double digits worth of liters daily! I probably drink 3-4 liters daily thanks to my numerous cups of herbal tea during the day and the only downfall I’ve found is that I spend half my life in the restroom…ha ha not quite but it’s a pain to keep needing to wake up throughout the night!
I definitely am a well-hydrated girl. There’s usually a bottle of water or something within reach of me at all times. But yeah- I had heard too much water can be a bad thing. In most extreme cases, though…
I think the benefits of drinking enough water far out weigh the risks of drinking too much. I’m a big water drinker as well (I try and reach that 8 glasses a day) and actually feel more off when I don’t get enough water!
I probably drink 60-70 ounces of water a day… but that’s over 18-ish hours and with a workout.
There was a woman several years ago who actually drowned herself trying to win a radio show contest. It was something like whoever could chug the most water won a car or trip. Crazy to think that’s possible!
Interesting post. I started tracking my food intake when I “went vegan” to make sure I was getting enough nutrients, and part of the tracking involved water consumption. I did it VERY loosely, just a general “cup”-size, rather than measuring specific ounces…the biggest different I noticed was not craving soda as much! I think I get about 8-12 glasses a day?
Dang! I never thought too much water would be a problem.. I am definitely a water-chugger, I keep a full cup on my desk all day so I remember to drink it. I get headaches as soon as I get even a little dehydrated so I have to keep it in the front of my mind.
Not enough! I probably drink around 64 oz, but with breastfeeding I feel the urge to drink so much more but can’t exactly run and grab more in the moment 😉
Even though I always do it, I take googling anything medical with a grain of salt. It ALWAYS assumes the most extreme and says that you are dying! But it is interesting to see what’s out there! I am trying to be better at drinking water too because I see how it affects me at work. When I dont drink water, I never have a reason to get up from my desk, and get fatigued so much easier by the afternoon. When i do, I get up to go to the bathroom more often, which means more walks! and refilling my water bottle, and overall feeling better from both the walks and hydration!
wow, never heard of that before, but I also never wondered what too much water could do. if i have to be honest, winter time i’m pathetic with water, 4 to 5 glasses a day. it’s so bad. summer is like 6. i need to increase this.
I don’t really count how much I drink but I probably get in 6-8 glasses a day. I know that drinking too much water can be dangerous! I read about that not too long ago. Glad you are ok!
Heheh I’m always trying to drink more water and thus I’m always in the bathroom – tiny bladder and all 😛
So besides peeing a lot, now I’ve learnt the other dangers for drinking too much water! I probably drink 6-8 glasses a day including herbal tea as well.
I have upped my water intake a lot last year, definitely drink about 64oz of water everyday!!!
I always have a water bottle with me, so I’m constantly hydrating! But I’ve also had the feeling of drinking too much before too! Even though it’s rare, that’s still pretty freaky!