As winter starts closing in, a comforting mug of hot chocolate sounds more appealing than a glass of cold water.

But just because the temperature is dropping, doesn't mean the amount of water you drink each day should drop as well.

Apart from being good for the skin and general health, drinking between six and eight glasses of water a day can also help decrease emotional swings.

However, if you're not too keen on all that water, dieticians agree that fizzy drinks, squash, fruit juices and tea work very well, too.

But nothing can beat the health benefits contained in a plain glass of water.

It can eliminate lethargic feelings and prevent or help ease headaches.

Drinking plenty of water can prevent the formation of kidney stones and help reduce the risk of cystitis.

A dry mouth, bad breath, constipation and muscle cramps can also be avoided simply by increasing your daily water intake.

And, as the Christmas party season approaches and the alcohol starts flowing, drinking some water is one of the most effective and natural ways of preventing or easing a hangover.

The more alcohol you drink, the more fluids you lose. In adults, water comprises 50 to 70 per cent of total body weight so a heavy night on the booze can leave a person feeling low and run- down until those essential fluids are replaced.

Hitting the bottle again, but this time of the mineral water variety, will help restore your insides and get you feeling better in no time.

Joanna Bond, a senior renal dietician at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, said: "During the winter, more people get ill and contract colds, flu and high temperatures, which means they are losing a lot of fluid. It is important that they make this up.

"In older people, the thirst sensation can dull so they don't drink as much because they don't feel thirsty and this may cause problems.

"If you don't drink enough fluids you can end up with constipation, dizziness and headaches. Drinking a sensible amount of water is good for the kidneys and for the skin.

"People don't have to drink expensive natural or mineral water - ordinary tap water is fine. The most important thing is for people to get the fluids they need."

Skin can suffer immensely in harsh winter weather as it is battered by strong winds and rain. Central heating can can also have a drying effect.

Unless you're aiming for the red, ruddy, weather-beaten look, winter is the most important season in which to to maintain moisture levels in the skin.

No toner, cleanser or moisturising cream can do the job alone. By drinking enough water, you can rehydrate your skin from the inside and glow on the outside.

Water is involved in a number of vital biological processes. Although it is not a nutrient, it is an important component of the diet.

Without fluids, the body's survival time is limited to a matter of hours or days.

The latest British Dietetic Association guidelines state that an average adult should consume 2.5 litres of water per day. Of this, 1.8 litres must be obtained directly from beverages, the equivalent of six to seven glasses of water per day.

While the argument still rages over natural and mineral water versus tap water, the general consensus among researchers is that bottled water has no proven health benefits over good old tap water.

Drinking water available from taps is adequate to replenish fluid loss and undergoes many processes to bring it up to the standards set out in the Water Supply Regulations.

FOUR WAYS TO ENSURE YOU GET ENOUGH WATER EACH DAY:

Start as you mean to go on, with a large glass of water when you wake up.

Keep a jug of fresh water on your desk at work so it's within easy reach to top up your glass throughout the working day.

If you're out and about during the day, carry a bottle of water with you so you can have a drink whenever you feel thirsty.

Increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables; they have a high water content as well as many other health benefits.