Hydration is important 365 days of the year, but it’s never more essential than during the UAE’s hot summer months.
As the mercury rises above the 40ºC mark in the Emirates, coupled with energy-sapping humidity, ensuring that your family gets a sufficient amount of water should be front-of-mind, but how much do we need exactly?
How much water should children and adults be drinking?
“The estimated daily need for fluid intake is about 3 to 4 litres for men and 2 to 3 litres for women. But there are many other factors which may increase or decrease the fluid daily requirements, for instance, exercise, weather, altitude, pregnancy and the presence of certain conditions, such as kidney disease,” says Dr Ahmed Abdelhameed, specialist internal medicine at Medcare Women & Children Hospital.
“Sweat evaporation from the skin surface plays a critical role in body cooling, which increases during the summer months,” Dr Abdelhameed says. “As a general concept, the consumption of water must be higher in countries with hot climates.”
The amount of water that children are drinking should also be monitored.
“When determining how much water your child needs, you should know hydration needs vary,” says Dr Amara Omer, general practitioner at Aster Clinic Al Shaab, Dubai. "Children need more water if they are participating in physical activity or if the weather is hot. You have to ensure that your child should stay well hydrated."
She advises that toddlers should drink two to four glasses a day, children aged 5 to 8 should drink 1 litre a day and those between 9 and 12 should consume 1.5 litres.
Drinking enough water in hot climates
The importance of hydration should not be underestimated, stresses Dr Muzammil Khambati, medical director and general practitioner at Access Clinic, Dr Koya's in Dubai.
“Drinking water is essential for the proper functioning of one’s body. All the major organ systems of the body depend on water for their maintenance and optimisation,” Dr Khambati says.
“Water plays a vital role regulating the body temperature and helps the body overcome heat strain and heat stroke… As the body is exposed to external heat, the water stored in the layers of the skin rises to the surface as sweat. This evaporation allows the skin surface to cool, in turn allowing the body temperature to be cooled.
"As more water from the body gets evaporated as sweat, the body starts to get dehydrated. It starts to conserve the heat instead of dissipating it and falls prey to the effects of heat exhaustion, like headache, fast and weak pulse, nausea or vomiting, giddiness, malaise and cramping of the muscles.”
Staying fit and hydrated
If you’re working out during the summer months, the amount of water consumed daily needs to be adjusted.
Michael Sole, founder of The Den DXB in Motor City, advises people to drink 30 millilitres of water per kilogram of body weight daily. In the US, the average woman weighs 77.4kg, and therefore should be drinking 2.3 litres, and the average man weighs 80kg, so should aim to consume 2.4 litres.
That number should be added to depending on daily exercise.
Sole says: “For every hour of exercise, you should add 500ml to 1,000ml of water respective of how sweaty a person you are and the climate you are training in. Adding an electrolyte into this on very sweaty sessions will aid in the absorption.”
Staying hydrated could also enhance your performance in the gym.
“There is evidence to support that minor dehydration can lead to significant decreases in cognitive performance,” says Sole. “It could be possible that the sheer desire to work out, or your concentration levels could be affected negatively with just a 2 per cent decrease in body weight due to sweating or insufficient hydration.”
Is it possible to drink too much water?
Drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication.
Dr Omer explains: “When you drink too much water, your kidneys can’t get rid of the excess water. The sodium content of your blood becomes diluted. This is called hyponatremia and it can be life-threatening.”
Targets to drink as much as 3.4 litres a day for an average-build man who is working out regularly may seem very high, but it’s not a dangerous amount of water to drink if consumed gradually throughout the day.
“Drinking too much water is rarely a major problem for well-nourished, healthy adults who have a good lifestyle. However, if you do end up drinking an excess amount of water, your kidneys may not be able to eliminate the water well and that may lead to bloating and abdominal discomfort and may lead to hyponatremia, which will have to be rectified,” says Dr Khambati.
What if you don’t like water?
There are many people who don’t like drinking large quantities of plain water, so to reach their hydration targets, adding sugars and flavours such as cordials or tea to their water still have the same benefits, says Dr Abdelhameed.
“Most people cannot drink water in large quantities so adding a flavour can encourage people to have a proper intake which would help them reach the proper hydration state; however, we encourage fluids from natural sources like fresh juices,” he says.
This is echoed by Dr Omer, who gives a warning against carbonated drinks.
“Fizzy drinks, squashes and juices can contain lots of added sugar and very few nutrients so keep them to a minimum,” Dr Omer says. “While water is seen as the best source of hydration, it’s not the only one. When consumed in moderate amounts, caffeinated drinks including tea and coffee are as hydrating as water.”
Sole suggests flavouring your water, to encourage people to drink more. “Most low-calorie electrolyte tablets or powders have a sweet taste to them, so that is a great combination, especially when working out. During the day, a low-calorie squash or concentrate would be a good option too if you find water a bit boring.”
Michael Sole’s tips for staying hydrated
1. Keep a full water bottle by your bedside so that the first thing you do in the morning is drink 300ml to 500ml of water.
2. Carry a refillable water bottle that is brightly coloured, that way it will catch your eye throughout the day and remind you to take a sip.
3. Add a pinch of sea salt to your breakfast. Sodium can aid with increasing your desire to drink fluids and is also an essential mineral for fluid absorption.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
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Rating: 4/5
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
