Tips to Stay Adequately Hydrated

An adult's body is about 60% water, so we need adequate H20 intake for everything to function properly. It's not just the H20, it is the perfect balance of electrolytes (sodium, potassium and magnesium) that we need to focus on in order to maintain healthy blood, heart rhythm, muscle function and other important functions. We can drink too little or even too much and have a negative impact our health.

How Much Should I Drink Daily?

½ of your body weight in ounces. Example: if you weigh 150 lbs you should drink about 75 oz of water per day
Do the math now for yourself
If you exercise and sweat, you will need to supplement with more hydration to maintain balance

NOTE: The recommended amount of water per day does not include juices, coffee and alcohol. If you consume these beverages, you need to supplement with more H20 to counteract the dehydration impact of these drinks.

Is it Possible to Drink Too Much Water?

These days, we are better at carrying a H20 bottle with us everywhere we go but there can be too much of a good thing! Over-hydration dilutes electrolytes in your body and drinking too much can cause the electrolyte levels in the body to get out of whack and cause sodium levels to plummet. Nerve and heart issues can occur with over-hydration and can have negative, and even deadly consequences.

Typical Signs of Over-hydration:

Cloudy thinking
Muscle weakness, spasms or cramps
Headaches
Nausea and vomiting

Prevent Over-hydration: Use your thirst cues and urine color as a guide. Stay close to the recommended guidelines and drink water when you are thirsty and monitor urine output to notice frequent urination or clear urine.

What is Dehydration?

Occurs when your body loses more fluid than it takes in. This can happen due to sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, not drinking enough fluids, consuming alcohol, higher temperatures or being in elevation.
How do you know if you are dehydrated?

Typical Signs of Dehydration:

Increased thirst: This is the most common and earliest sign of dehydration. When you are dehydrated, your body sends signals to your brain to drink more fluids.
Dry mouth, lips, and tongue: When your body isn't hydrated adequately, it will start to conserve water by reducing the amount of saliva it produces.
Dark-colored urine: When you are dehydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated and darker in color.
Decreased urination: As your body tries to conserve fluids, you may urinate less frequently.
Fatigue and dizziness: When hydration is limited, your body can't function properly impacting things like your blood pressure and energy production.
Headache: Dehydration can result in headaches due to changes in blood volume and blood pressure.

More Severe Signs of Dehydration:

Confusion: Dehydration can affect brain function, leading to confusion, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
Low blood pressure: As your body loses fluids, your blood pressure can drop, resulting in dizziness and fainting.
Rapid heartbeat: As your body tries to compensate for the lack of fluids, your heart rate may increase. Rapid heart rate can create feelings of panic and anxiety.
Fever: Dehydration can cause a fever, especially in infants and young children.
Seizures: In severe cases, dehydration can lead to seizures.

If you experience any of these signs of dehydration, it is important to drink fluids and seek medical attention, if necessary.

Tips for Adequate Hydration:

Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, start your day with 12 ounces of water as you are dehydrated when you wake up. Drink fluids throughout the day, even if you don't feel thirsty.
Sip on fluids versus drink a 12 -16 ounces at a time for better absorption.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are higher in water content.
Use an electrolyte to supplement hydration when in hotter temperatures or exercising to replace loss of minerals and fluids. Look for an electrolyte with low sugar content, coconut water or use a pinch of himalayan sea salt in the water you drink.
Monitor your urine output. If it is dark yellow or you are not urinating as often as usual, you may be dehydrated, if you are going frequently and it is clear, you may be over hydrated.
Avoid sugary drinks, caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate you. Alcohol dehydrates the body and a loss of minerals and electrolytes.
Note that as you age, you have a greater tendency for dehydration (sodium imbalances) and may not get the signals for thirst. You may require routine electrolyte supplementation for optimal balance.

Check out our Blog Should I be Using Electrolytes? to learn more.

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