Proper Hydration

Summer in Northern Colorado is about to reach its peak, meaning things will be hotter than ever for the next month or two. This is the time of year when your body needs proper hydration the most. Consider the benefits of drinking enough water and tips to help you beat the summer heat.

Benefits of Proper Hydration

You’ve probably heard the advice to drink eight glasses of water per day. While this amount is fairly accurate, the Mayo Clinic points out that different people need different amounts of water at different times of the year. Water also isn’t the only source of fluid available. You can seek proper hydration through other beverages and foods.

Regardless of how you get hydrated, here are the benefits you can expect when you do:

  • Muscle efficiency: If you’re looking for a simple way to improve your workouts, drink more water before, during, and after exercise. Adequate fluid intake lubricates your joints, transports oxygen to your muscles, helps remove metabolic waste, and regulates your body temperature. These are all useful things for helping you make the most of your workouts.
  • Heart health: Proper hydration thins your blood, which makes it easier for your heart to do its job. This makes daily tasks such as going for a walk or climbing a flight of stairs easier. As a result, you’ll feel less “sluggish” in hot temperatures if you keep your water intake up.
  • Controlled body temperature: Your body needs water to regulate its temperature successfully. Consider that when you work out, you start sweating and breathing heavily. These cooling processes require proper hydration. You can also cool off at the moment by drinking cold water.
  • Improved digestion: Dehydration leads to constipation, which can create long-term digestive issues. On the other hand, drinking plenty of water helps move food through your system and makes it easier for nutrients to be absorbed into the body. To promote a healthy digestive system, drink water 30 minutes before and after eating, and limit your water intake while enjoying your meal.
  • Mental clarity: Have you ever noticed your mind become foggy when you’re hot and tired? Proper hydration promotes good mental focus by improving blood and oxygen flow to the brain. Just a 2 percent decrease in bodily fluids is enough to decrease concentration and cause short-term memory problems.
  • Softer skin: Hot, dry weather can lead to sunburn and other skin damage. Being dehydrated only worsens these issues by causing your skin to lose its elasticity.

Tips for Staying Hydrated When it’s Hot Outside

Water is an oft-forgotten nutrient, but it’s clear how critical it is for your overall health. Live Science has some tips to help you stay hydrated when the heat and activity of summer increase the risk of dehydration:

  • Drink water before you feel thirsty.
  • Monitor the color of your urine. If it’s dark yellow, you’re not drinking enough water.
  • Bring water with you any time you leave the house, even if you’re just running errands.
  • Remember to drink water frequently while hiking, biking, running, or engaging in other outdoor physical activities this summer.
  • Begin each workout feeling hydrated, having drunk plenty of water the day before and in the hour leading up to it. Then, drink small amounts of water frequently while exercising, and keep drinking after your workout session ends.
  • If you exercise for longer than an hour or in the extreme heat, supplement your water intake with a sports drink to help replenish your body’s salt and electrolytes lost through sweat.
  • Avoid alcohol, which has dehydrating properties.
  • If you’re tired of water, get your fluid intake from milk, juice, tea, coffee, and soup.
  • Increase the water in your diet by eating more fruits and vegetables. Some, such as watermelon and spinach, are nearly 100 percent water by weight.

Proper Hydration Leads to Good Health

You might have symptoms of dehydration and not even know it. Many of the conditions we treat here at Spine Correction Center of the Rockies—including migraines, muscle spasms, and back pain—could be caused by lack of water. Whether you need treatment for a specific condition, or you’re interested in a nutritional assessment, we can help. Simply call (970) 658-5115 to learn more about our services or to request a free consultation.