GREENSBORO, N.C. — You have probably heard this a million times. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. That's half a gallon of water or 2 liters.
Experts say not drinking enough water can cause dehydration which causes fatigue, a headache, or dizziness.
Though people accept the saying as fact, and it's easy to remember, there are some situations where you might need to drink more, for instance, during a workout.
WFMY News 2 Good Morning Show viewer Freda Martin wrote in about that.
She asked: Does your body naturally need more water when it's hot in the summer? Do you need to drink more when you work out?
The simple answer is yes, but health and wellness expert Coach Lynch Hunt explained why.
"Your body functions best within a certain temperature range, and when you get too warm, you have to cool off. Your body cools off when you sweat. You sweat more when it's hot outside and when you're exercising. So the more you sweat, the more body fluids you lose. So yes, you need to drink more fluids when it's hot outside, and you need to drink more fluids when you're exercising to replace the fluids you lose through sweat," said Hunt, who owns AWOL Fitness in Greensboro.
The American Council on Exercise also recommends drinking 7 to 10 ounces of water every 20 minutes in your workout.
"When you drink more water during exercise, you reduce the chance of heat stress and dehydration. Plus, you can maintain the normal functions needed to maintain your performance levels. So, yes! Drink more water," Hunt said.
Coach Hunt answers your questions weekly during the Good Morning Show's Monday Motivation segment. You can submit your question by emailing tmccain@wfmy.com.