Feeling sluggish, headachey, or struggling to concentrate? You may simply be dehydrated.
Being just 1-2% dehydrated can negatively impact energy levels, mood, cognition, and even your exercise performance. Did you know that more than half of the human body is made of water?
Just about every bodily system depends on adequate water to function properly. Proper hydration is not just vital for athletes – it’s critical for everyone to stay healthy.
Read on to learn about hydration guidelines, signs you may be dehydrated, tips for drinking more water, and common hydration myths.
This article covers the following:
The Importance of Hydration
Water helps transport nutrients, remove waste, regulate body temperature, cushion joints, protect organs and tissues, and so much more.
Even mild dehydration can have adverse effects. Being dehydrated can lead to headaches, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, and urinary tract infections.
Severe dehydration can even result in organ failure, seizures, or death.
Some groups are at higher risk for dehydration including athletes, outdoor laborers, older adults, and young children.
Making sure your fluid intake is sufficient is vital for feeling your best day-to-day and preserving long-term health.
How Much Water Do You Need?
So how can you know if you are drinking enough?
The Institute of Medicine provides general recommendations that women aim for 2.7 liters (91 ounces) of total fluid intake per day and men aim for 3.7 liters (125 ounces).
National Academic Press
This total includes water, other beverages like milk, juice and coffee, and moisture from foods. The ideal amount can vary based on climate, activity level, health conditions and more.
A good rule of thumb is to drink water regularly throughout the day and with meals. Signs your water intake may be inadequate include dark yellow or smelly urine, fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, and headaches.
Here’s a general recommendation of daily water intake by age:
The Importance of Electrolytes and Salt
How Electrolytes work
Electrolytes are minerals that carry a small electric charge when dissolved in body fluids like blood and sweat. The main electrolytes in our bodies are sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Here’s a quick overview of what these electrolytes do:
- Sodium – Helps regulate blood pressure and volume. Allows transmission of nerve signals.
- Potassium – Important for muscle contractions and heart function.
- Calcium – Needed for healthy bones and teeth. Also involved in muscle contractions.
- Magnesium – Plays a role in muscle, nerve and heart function. Needed for energy production.
When you sweat, you lose electrolytes like sodium and potassium. Drinking plain water alone dilutes the remaining electrolytes in your body.
Consuming electrolyte-containing foods and drinks helps replenish what you lose through sweat. This maintains the right balance of electrolytes and fluids, allowing your body to function at its best.
The Role of Minerals
Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium are important for staying properly hydrated. These minerals help your body absorb and retain the water you drink.
You should aim to get adequate amounts of these electrolytes through your regular diet. Good sources include dairy products, leafy greens, beans, fish, avocados, bananas, coconut water, and sports drinks. If you are very active or sweating heavily, you may need more electrolytes than a standard diet provides. In those cases, try adding a bit of extra sea salt to meals or consuming an electrolyte-replenishing sports drink after intense exercise.
The key is to make sure you are taking in enough electrolyte minerals to balance your fluid intake. Focus on getting a varied, nutrient-rich diet plus additional electrolyte sources as needed around heavy sweat loss. This will help you stay optimally hydrated.
Salt Needs
Consuming enough sodium is also key for maintaining hydration, especially with heavy sweating. Table salt (sodium chloride) helps the body hold onto fluids. Most people get adequate sodium through their diet, but adding a bit of extra salt or consuming electrolyte sources can help when exercising vigorously or sweating heavily in heat.
Common Signs of Dehydration
How can you tell if you’re dehydrated?
Be on the lookout for these common symptoms:
- Thirst
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue and weakness
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Muscle cramps
- Dark yellow or amber-colored urine
- Minimal urination
- Rapid heart rate
- Fever
- Confusion
For more information dehydration and common symptoms, check out the Mayo Clinic.
It’s best to stay hydrated proactively and recognize the early signs before they progress.
Simple to Follow Tips for Staying Hydrated
Drinking enough water each day takes some forethought. Here are tips for making sure you meet your fluid needs:
- Carry a refillable water bottle with you throughout your day and sip steadily. Choose a bottle with volume markings to track intake.
- Opt for water over high-calorie and sugary drinks like juice or soda most of the time.
- Eat your water too by choosing fruits and vegetables with high water content like cucumbers, berries, oranges, tomatoes, and celery.
- Add some flavor to your water with fresh citrus slices, cucumber, berries, mint, or ginger.
- Set a phone reminder to drink water at intervals through your day.
- Have a glass of water with each meal or snack.
- Drink water before, during and after exercise to avoid dehydration.
- Consume electrolyte sources like coconut water or sports drinks when sweating heavily to replenish minerals lost.
Here’s a list of recommended products to stay hydrated and promote good hydration habits:
Water Bottles
Hydro Flask – Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle
Simple Modern Water Bottle Best Values
Hydration Supplements
LMNT Electrolytes Powder
Liquid IV – Hydration Multiplier
The Most Common Hydration Myths
Despite hydration being such a vital health issue, there are many misconceptions surrounding water needs. Learning the facts can help ensure you stay properly hydrated.
- “If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated” – While thirst is an early sign of dehydration, feeling thirst just means your body desires more fluids.
- “All fluids hydrate the body equally” – In truth, water is ideal for hydration. Beverages like coffee, soda, and alcohol can have diuretic effects and contribute to dehydration.
- “You should drink 8 glasses of water per day” – This one-size-fits-all rule doesn’t account for differences in factors like age, activity level, climate, and body size. Drink when you’re feeling thirsty.
- “Having to carry a water bottle means you’re not drinking enough water” – On the contrary, having water on hand makes it easier to hydrate frequently. You’re likely not drinking enough water if you’re not sipping regularly.
- “Sports drinks are only for athletes” – Recreational activity such as hiking, surfing, or sitting in a sauna, can cause you to lose electrolytes through sweat too. Sports drinks can be beneficial for any activity over 60 minutes.
Hydration FAQ
Still have questions about meeting your fluid needs?
Here are answers to some frequently asked hydration questions:
General guidelines recommend 2.7 liters (91 ounces of water) for women and 3.7 liters (125 ounces of water) for men as total fluid intake. Amounts can vary based on activity, health factors and climate.
No, water is best for hydration. Coffee, sugary drinks like soda and juice, and alcohol can have diuretic effects and contribute to dehydration.
Sports drinks contain electrolytes like sodium and potassium that get depleted through sweat. They are most useful when exercising for over an hour. Water is fine for hydration with lighter activity.
Pale yellow to clear urine is a good sign you are well hydrated. Dark yellow, amber, or brownish urine indicates you need to drink more fluids.
Add flavor with fruit slices, herbs, or cucumbers. Drink cold water or fun additions like sparkling water. Use a motivational water tracking app. Getting a stylish water bottle you love helps too!
Caffeine is a stimulant found in many beverages, such as coffee, tea, and soda. It has been shown to have a mild diuretic effect, meaning it can increase the frequency of urination. This may lead people to believe that drinking caffeinated beverages can lead to dehydration. However, research has indicated that this is not the case.