Feeling parched all day long? Check out these reasons as to why you might always be reaching for a glass of water.
1. YOUR DIET HAS TOO MUCH SALT IN IT
Salt pulls water out of cells and forces the body to conserve as much water as possible, which is why you urinate less when you eat too much salt. The water-deprived cells send a chemical message to the brain asking for more water, and you start to feel thirsty. Cut down on your salt intake and make sure you’re drinking enough water.
2. YOU TOOK A MORNING WALK
“You’re going to need to drink more on days when you sweat more,” says Peter Mayock, MD, medical director of the West Town Adult Clinic of the Eric Family Health Center in Chicago.
When you exercise, you lose fluids through sweat, and if you don’t replace that fluid, you could end up dehydrated. There isn’t one formula as to how much you should be drinking, but Mayock asks us to listen to our body.
3. DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER EVERY DAY 
The eight glasses advice is a myth, says Dr. Huang, and it can be dangerous.
“If your heart or kidneys are compromised, drinking too much water can cause congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema, or water intoxication. In these cases, fluid intake should be limited,” she explains.
4. ALWAYS DRINK WATER FIRSTLY IN THE AM
You’ve heard it before: “Start your day with a full glass of water.”
While you might be thirsty and you might naturally reach for that, Dr. Huang says it’s not necessary. “If you have normally functioning kidneys, it may be refreshing to reach for water, but it’s not vital,” she notes. “Some people think that if you go to sleep at midnight and wake up at 8 a.m., you’ve gone at least eight hours without hydrating, so you have to drink water. This isn’t the case.
And your urine can give a glimpse of the hydration level of your body. If your urine is clear it is because it’s diluted. If your urine is dark, it’s because your kidneys are doing its job to conserve water and it’s concentrating.
“The first void of the day is usually the darkest,” she notes.
5. YOU THINK YOU CAN’T BE OVER HYDRATED
You know what they say about too much of a good thing, right? It actually becomes a bad thing, and the same is true for water.
People tend to think they can’t drink too much aqua—especially novice runners, says Dr. Mayock. The truth is you can, and it can be lethal. “A condition called hyponatremia is a result of ingesting too much water thus causing a decreased concentration of sodium in the body. This can lead to confusion, convulsions, and even death, especially when running,” he shares.
