Whether you're a health specialist or not, the recommendation to drink 8 glasses of water daily is widely known. If you're a fitness enthusiast, health expert, or homemaker, you’ve likely either given or received advice to drink 2 liters of water a day. But the question remains, Is there any truth to the "8 glasses of water" rule?

While the advice to drink eight glasses of water daily has been popular for some time, according to research this amount may be too much for some people and too little for others.

”While there are certain circumstances in which water needs increase, healthy people generally don’t need to be consuming water in such large quantities,” as per Healthline.

What happens when you don’t drink enough water?

It is essential to meet the demands of your body. Not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration, resulting in fatigue, headaches, and mood swings.

Everyone’s body functions differently. If drinking eight glasses of water feels excessive, Healthline suggests, “You don’t need to rigorously follow the eight glasses rule — simply follow your thirst.”

Benefits of drinking enough water

Drinking water to satisfy your thirst can also offer additional health benefits as well. Healthline highlights the advantages of staying properly hydrated:

• Weight loss: Drinking enough water may help you burn more calories, reducing appetite if consumed before a meal and lowering the risk of long-term weight gain.
• Better physical performance: Modest dehydration may impair physical performance. Losing only 2% of your body’s water content during exercise may increase fatigue and reduce motivation.
• Reduced severity of headaches: For those prone to headaches, drinking additional water may reduce the intensity and duration of episodes. In dehydrated people, water may help relieve headache symptoms.
• Constipation relief and prevention: In dehydrated people, drinking enough water may help prevent and relieve constipation. However, more research on this possible effect is needed.
• Decreased risk of kidney stones: Although more research is needed, there is some evidence that increasing water consumption may help prevent the recurrence of kidney stones in people with a tendency to form them.

If you’re still wondering whether you should stick to drinking eight glasses of water a day, the answer is simple: follow your body’s signals and drink according to your thirst.