Keeping Cool and Refreshed During the Hottest Days
As summer approaches, it’s more important than ever to know how to stay properly hydrated throughout the day. Between hectic work schedules and busy social lives, people often forget to grab a drink and leave their bodies severely dehydrated, resulting in painful headaches and drowsiness. Read on to learn the eight ways to effectively keep your body hydrated, even on the hottest days of the year.
1. Carry Water With You
The easiest way to stay hydrated is to regularly drink fresh water. Keep a glass of water by your workstation or carry a water bottle with you when you are on the go to ensure that you always have a drink within reach.
Throughout the day, your body will keep you cool by sweating, and as a result, you need to replenish its supply of water to ensure that it can continue to cool you effectively. If you get bored with plain water, try adding a lemon slice or switch to carbonated water.
2. Eat Foods With a High Water Content
Fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, cucumber and lettuce, all have a high water content. Having a fruit salad for breakfast or a garden salad alongside your dinner is a great way to introduce more water into your diet without simply relying on drinking glass after glass of water.
Making your own fruit popsicles is a great way to get children to stay hydrated during the summer. Purchase some popsicle molds and blend watermelon and strawberries with coconut milk to create a tasty, hydrating treat.
3. Avoid Direct Exposure to Sunlight
Staying hydrated is not as simple as regularly drinking water. In addition to supplying your body with enough water, you also need to conserve the water you consume. Your body’s supply of water diminishes quickly when it is consistently exposed to heat, so choosing to sit in the shade or retreat indoors during the hottest hours of the day is essential to avoid dehydration.
4. Check Your Urine
As the body’s supply of water diminishes, the most apparent and visible change is the color of your urine. If your urine is a dark yellow color, often compared to the color of apple juice, then your body is already dehydrated and in need of more water.
On the other hand, if your urine is a clear, pale yellow, then you can relax knowing that you are properly hydrated and protecting your body effectively.
5. Avoid Alcoholic and Sugary Drinks
While it is important to drink regularly during the summer months, you need to drink the right things. A chilled beer or soft drink may be appealing, but these drinks can serve to dehydrate your body instead of replenishing its supply of water. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases the body’s urine output, thereby increasing the risk of dehydration.
When enjoying an alcoholic or sugary drink, it’s best practice to drink it alongside a glass of water.
6. Don’t Exercise During the Day
Regular exercise is a crucial aspect of healthy living, however, during summer, it’s important to reschedule your workouts to either early in the morning or late in the evening. This ensures that you are exercising during the coolest times of the day and putting less strain on your body as it tries to keep you cool.
7. Embrace Cold Water
The thought of a cold shower is unappealing to most people but a few seconds under the cold spray is an effective way to minimize the strain on your body and cool it down. Something as simple as running your wrists under a cold tap can relieve the feeling of overheating and reduce the amount of water your body needs to use to sweat.
8. Wear Light Clothing
Another great way to avoid dehydration is opting for light, breathable fabric for your summer apparel. Cotton, linen and bamboo blends allow your body to regulate its temperature while protecting your skin from the sun.
The Signs of Dehydration
Dehydration is an unpleasant experience, with common symptoms including fatigue, a dry mouth, lightheadedness and dark-colored urine. In babies and infants, dehydration can be detected if they have a sunken soft spot on their head and produce few to no tears when they cry.
The best way to treat dehydration is to replenish your fluids by drinking water, fruit juice or diluted squash. These drinks will provide your body with the nutrients it is lacking and are easier to consume in large quantities than fizzy or caffeinated drinks.
Avoid strenuous activities until your symptoms have abated, and stay indoors or in the shade during the hottest parts of the day.
Final Thoughts
After a long, cold winter, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of warmer weather and to forget how to effectively care for your body. By following these simple steps and staying vigilant about the signs of dehydration, you can safely embrace the summer heat.