Hydration is just as crucial to your health in the winter as it is in the summer. Dehydration is caused when your body doesn’t have enough water in your body to function. According to the Mayo Clinic, your body needs water to function properly, to normalize your temperature, lubricate and cushion joints, protect important tissues, and get rid of waste in your body through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements. 

The amount of water that you need to drink varies from person to person. Most people can do just fine if they drink water whenever they get thirsty, but for some people, they may need more. Parkview Health says factors that go into how much you need are your activity level, your environment (the temperature or the altitude where you are), and overall health (people may be taking medication that dehydrates them more than normal). 

Hydrating in the winter is more challenging than hydrating in the summer because most of the time people don’t get as thirsty, and being thirsty is the easiest way to notice that you need to drink water according to Mana Medical Associates. Your skin is also being beaten up by the cold and adds an additional way that you lose water to the list. 

The best way that you can stay hydrated during the winter is by setting an amount of water that you need to drink daily. A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water. Additional ways to keep your skin hydrated is by using chapstick and lotion on your skin at least once a day.