Are you Staying Hydrated? – Well-hydrated Promotes Better Overall Health

Staying Hydrated can help optimize our blood flow.

This isn’t nothing new, we keep hearing the saying to stay hydrated (even soda ads talk about staying hydrated). Yet there aren’t many of us who are supplying our bodies with sufficient water.

Being dehydrated can leave you feeling sluggish, tired and foggy. Hot weather aside, do you know we’re already mildly dehydrated when we get the feeling of thirst?

You probably already know that the body is over 60% water right? Water plays a crucial role in various body functions. They include regulating our body temperature and transporting nutrients throughout the body. So staying hydrated is essential for our overall health and performance.

Benefits of Hydration:

Improves Blood flow

Our blood consists of 60% plasma, which is a liquid component of the blood. When we hydrate properly it ensures we have a sufficient volume of plasma in our blood.
When dehydrated, our blood thickens and becomes more difficult for our heart to pump and circulate efficiently. This leads to less efficient flow, affecting the transportation of oxygen and nutrients in our bodies.

Keeps the skin smooth

Before we talk about skincare products, take note that simply staying properly hydrated can give our skin the water it needs to stay smooth and plump. It also helps prevent wrinkles and dry skin.

Helps stay full longer

It’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger, you’ll be less prone to snacks after meals when properly hydrated.

This way it helps to avoid eating all those extra calories when you’re aiming for a calorie deficit.

While staying hydrated helps with our overall health, staying in shape takes more than that. Here’s my post on 5 Best Ways to Cut Calories with Least Effort if you want to know more. So if you’re aiming for a healthy weight please take a look.

Sufficient water also helps with digestion. Fibres from meals aid with digestion but only when we have sufficient water in the body.

Boosting our performance

Whether an athlete or simply just leading a healthy, active lifestyle, staying hydrated is key. When we are active the body removes more water to regulate body temperature via sweat. This means we need more water than usual.

Clearer Thinking

Proper hydration is known to promote focus, and alertness and even improve our cognitive capability (Zhang, 2019). This research concludes that adequate hydration can improve fatigue, TMD, short-term memory, attention, and reaction.

Overall Health

From digestion and nutrient absorption to waste removal, you need sufficient water for them. Proper hydration will help us maintain our overall health and well-being.

How much water do you need per day? What are the signs of dehydration?

The level of water required for everyone is different. Factors like activity level, the weather climate, and even the person’s overall health can change these. (ie: Dialysis patients need to limit their water intake.)

Signs of dehydration may include headaches, constipation, fatigue, and lack of toilet breaks to mention a few.

(Yellowish urine is caused by higher sodium intake, and drinking more water helps fix this.)

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink as this is the most common indication of mild dehydration already. Consistently taking sips of water throughout the day is the best way to stay hydrated!

The general guideline is to drink at least 2 litres (1/2 gallon) per day. And remember that we obtain some water from the meals we have.

Conditions like physical activity, having a fever, having diarrhoea, and hot weather climates require even more water than usual.

For more information on the daily recommended intake of water, you can visit this post from Eat for Health, which is the official website of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Tips for Staying Hydrated

Always carry a reusable bottle with you

The best way to stay hydrated for me is to have access to water all the time. This is the easiest way to stay hydrated as it can help remind you to drink more.

Be it at home, driving or at work, I’m always carrying a filled water bottle. This way you don’t have to buy bottled drinking water or go for sweetened drinks.

Taking a short break from sitting at work? Drink up.

For those of us working, always remember to take a sip in between hours when we take a short break. (I once read about a person who successfully quit smoking with drinking water. He took a sip every time he felt like taking a puff.)

Flavour them a little

A popular method is to add slices of lemon into drinking water. this makes it water even more refreshing, and the added flavour can entice you to drink more. Cucumber works too~

If you’re trying this method I’d recommend cleaning the fruit’s skin properly.

Alternatively, adding tea bags works too, better still, opt for tea that is lower or caffeine-free (ie: chamomile, peppermint, chrysanthemum).

Eat more fruits and veggies

Fruits like watermelon, oranges, and apples are high in water content. So are veggies like tomatoes and cucumber. These foods will contribute to our daily water intake. Plus they’re highly nutritious. I’d say these are pretty good alternatives to processed snacks.

Check your toilet breaks, colours tell

Darker urine usually means you’re not getting enough water. Use this as a guideline for your water intake.

Staying hydrated sounds easy enough, but it takes effort on our part.

We know the importance of staying hydrated but it will take some effort on our part to achieve it. Try to incorporate these tips into your daily routine one at a time, before long you’ll be sufficiently hydrated without much effort.

Disclaimer: While staying hydrated is essential for good health, some underlying medical conditions may require adjustments to fluid intake. Always consult with your doctor before making any significant changes to your hydration habits, especially if you have any concerns or pre-existing health conditions.

References

1. Zhang, N., Du, S. M., Zhang, J. F., & Ma, G. S. (2019). Effects of Dehydration and Rehydration on Cognitive Performance and Mood among Male College Students in Cangzhou, China: A Self-Controlled Trial. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(11), 1891. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16111891