Article by Frank Adornato
About 60% of the human body is comprised of water, and while water itself is not a nutrient, we need to drink water to stay properly hydrated and to maintain good health. Many people assume that dehydration happens only after intense exercise and sweating, but in reality, dehydration can occur at any time if you don’t drink enough water routinely. Staying properly hydrated offers many benefits, and here are just a few:
- Prevents dry mouth.
- Keeps your body cool.
- Helps muscles and joints work better.
- Keeps skin supple.
- Helps cleanse your body – inside and out.
- Promotes cardiovascular health.
We lose water from our bodies in many ways such as the water vapor in the breath we exhale, and in our sweat and urine. Along with water, small amounts of salts or electrolytes (sodium and potassium) are also lost. These electrolytes are necessary for proper nerve and muscle function. When we lose too much water and electrolytes, our bodies become out of balance or dehydrated.
The first thing people usually become aware of with dehydration is thirst, but worsening dehydration can lead to extreme thirst, dark urine, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, and in extreme cases, even seizures.
As the days get hotter and we become more active, we also become more prone to dehydration, and drinking liquids is that much more important. And if you’re exercising and sweating excessively, drinking sports drinks containing sodium and potassium is a good idea to replace lost electrolytes.
Here are some routine things you can do to help stay properly hydrated.
- Keep a glass of water on your night table next to your bed. We all wake up in the morning a little dehydrated so drink a full glass of water first thing. Starting each day with a full glass of water replenishes the water you lost from your body during sleep. And have another glass of water after breakfast to counteract the diuretic effects of your morning coffee.
- Continue to drink plenty of liquids throughout the day every day – water and fruit juices. It’s a good idea to keep a water bottle handy so you can sip some water all day long.
- If you’re exercising, consider carrying a water bottle or having one handy so you can sip water during your workout.
- End the day with a tall glass of water before bedtime. If you are concerned about waking up in the middle of the night to urinate, have that last glass of water with or soon after dinner. That will give you a couple of hours to have it pass through your system and reduce the likelihood of a disturbed sleep.
As a side note, alcoholic beverages – beer, wine and spirits – are diuretics and they can add to your dehydration. So don’t overdo it.
The solution to prevent dehydration is simple: drink liquids all day, every day.