13 Tips to Help You Stay Hydrated in The Summer
The summer is upon us! With the warm weather comes long days and nights, lots of activities, and sweat. It is essential to stay hydrated when you’re out in the heat for long periods. But did you know that you can also become dehydrated from sweating? It’s true! We lose 3 to 4 liters of water every hour or 10 liters daily from our bodies when we sweat, leaving us tired and thirsty.
It is no secret that water is essential. But it can be hard to remember to stay hydrated and drink it. Here is why it is so important and tips to stay hydrated, especially during the summer.
Hydration
Hydration is the amount of water in your body. When you’re well-hydrated, you’ll get better sleep quality, mood, prevent infections, and more benefits. You’ll have less chance of experiencing symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps.
You may think drinking lots of water is enough to stay hydrated all year, but this isn’t always the case. The amount of water your body needs varies throughout life, so it’s essential to know your current needs.
Tips to Stay Hydrated
Our recommendations for hydration are as follows:
1. Drink plenty of water before and after exercise
How much water should you drink every day? Studies by Harvard Medical School state that there’s no specific answer for the number of glasses you drink. It depends on your health, your activity, and the climatic conditions. If you’re exercising or working outside in hot weather, aim for about 6–8 cups a day, more if you’re doing strenuous activity or sweating a lot.
And remember no need to drink all those cups at once! It’s okay to spread them throughout the day.
2. Drink iced water
Drink ice water instead of cold soda or juice. The caffeine in soda can make you feel jittery and tired. And while juices have vitamins and minerals that are great for your body, they don’t have the same number of electrolytes as plain old water. Electrolytes aid with fluid balance in our bodies.
3. Infuse Flavor
If plain old H2O isn’t doing it for you anymore, try adding some lemon slices or cucumber slices or both to your water pitcher. They’ll add a nice flavor without any added sugar or calories! Or you could combine different fruits with your water for a more exciting taste.
4. Drink before meals instead of after them
If you’re feeling hungry in between meals, drink something first! This will help get more water into your system before you eat something that’ll make you thirsty again! Also, sipping water during a meal aid in digestion.
5. Avoid caffeine, sugary drinks, alcohol
Caffeine can cause dehydration by causing your body to lose water through your urine. Avoid sugary drinks like soda and juice as much as possible because most don’t have any nutritional value. They add extra calories without benefits and can lead to weight gain. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages like alcohol are diuretics, so limit them to one cup in the morning or early afternoon.
6. Check your urine
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? If you’re like most people, it’s looking at your phone. But if you want to stay hydrated, we recommend checking your urine, not just once daily.
If your urine is clear and colorless, that’s a good sign that you’re well-hydrated. If it’s dark yellow or orange, though, that means you need to drink more water. If you’re still unsure whether it’s time for a glass of water, check out this chart from the UC San Diego Health stats.
7. Eat water-rich foods
You already know that fruits and veggies are good for you, but did you know that cucumbers and lettuce have more water than any other fruit or vegetable? Plus, they taste great in salads and smoothies, so there’s no reason not to eat them as often as possible.
Fruit salad with yogurt is another way to get extra hydration into your day. The yogurt contains live cultures that help boost immunity and aid digestion. In contrast, the fruit provides a sweet treat without added sugar or calories.
8. Add Probiotics to your diet
Probiotics are good bacteria that help boost your immune system, digest food and nutrients, and even fight off harmful bacteria in your body. They keep your gut healthy, which is vital for your overall health.
They can also aid in maintaining the balance between good and bad bacteria in your gut and promote a healthy immune system. You can find probiotics in foods such as yogurt, kombucha, and kefir.
9. Drink cold soups
Hydrate during hot days by drinking cold soups. This is a great way to get your daily dose of water, and you can add different ingredients like cucumbers, carrots, celery, cabbage, or even spinach. The possibilities are endless and cold broths are refreshing for your body.
10. Check signs of dehydration
Are you noticing a few more wrinkles than usual? Are your eyes looking a little older than their years? Are you feeling sluggish and tired all the time? These can be signs that you’re not staying hydrated enough.
Other indicators include dry mouth, dark urine, low blood pressure, dizziness, headache, constipation, and decreased urination. If you notice any of these symptoms, drink plenty of water! If you’re still unsure how much water suits you, try tracking your daily intake for a few days and see if any patterns are emerging. For example, if drinking tea or coffee makes up most of your daily liquid consumption, consider switching to water.
11. Rehydrate when you sweat
No matter what season it is, you’re going to sweat. And that’s a good thing! Your body is working hard to help you live your best life. But when you sweat, you lose water, leading to dehydration. Rehydrate by drinking a glass of water or two within an hour of working out. You can also try drinking some coconut water after exercising, which is an excellent source of electrolytes.
12. Regulate body temperature
Heat stroke is a severe condition, and your body temperature can rise above 106°F. It mainly affects people who aren’t used to dealing with high heat loads, like athletes and people living in hot climates. It can be fatal if left unchecked, and some symptoms include dizziness, fainting/unconsciousness, nausea/vomiting, or muscle weakness/cramps.
Drink water and try not to wear too much clothing. The more clothes you wear, the harder it is for sweat glands to release sweat which causes a faster rise in your body temperature than usual, leading to overheating.
But if your body is feeling warm and you feel fine, cool down with a cold glass of water and see if that takes care of it.
13. Go swimming, find a shade or fan
Water is the best way to regulate body temperature, but it’s not always available. You could jump in a pool to cool down if you’re in a heatwave. In areas with no access to a swimming pool, you could find a shade or sit in front of a fan. Also, consider taking a dip in your bathtub, which is much more refreshing than showering or putting ice packs on your wrists and ankles (quick cooling spots) when outside helps.
Conclusion
Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your health, especially during the summer. Not getting enough water in your body will affect all areas of your life, from your mood and energy to your skin and digestion.
At Jullieter’s Camp, we help women access safe over-the-counter products and certified healthcare professionals. We are located in Philadelphia and offer different products with quality ingredients. Our supplements, inositol, and glow-down powder, can be added to water for an extra boost.