You need to hydrate! Hydration is good, necessary and (above all) super easy to do. There are a ton of ways to rehydrate that don’t require chugging H2O. Sports drinks, fruits and vegetables, soups all work to ease dehydration. Let’s look at the science of staying hydrated, including the best ways to do it and how to spot dehydration.
Staying hydrated isn’t difficult — but that doesn’t mean it’s simple. In addition to keeping the water levels in your body tip-top, it’s super important to consider electrolytes like sodium and potassium (especially in the long term). Don’t worry, though — we’ve got you covered on everything hydration and hydration-adjacent. Here’s your one-stop definitive list of the best ways to hydrate.
Drink water
Water comes up a lot in the hydration conversation because hydration is all about making sure your body has enough of it. Drinking enough water on the reg has a bunch of health benefits. It helps you:
- Have enough blood, since your body uses water to make blood
- Have a healthy brain, because your brain is about 73 percent water
- Regulate your body temperature, because you can’t sweat properly without enough water
- Digest nutrients smoothly, since water’s a crucial ingredient in both saliva and digestive fluids
- Develop healthy muscles, since they use water to do what they do
- Get a decent night’s sleep, because dehydration can cause leg cramps, dry cough, and loads of other sleep-interrupting issues.
- Reduce your risk of kidney stones, as water helps you flush out excess minerals via your pee.
While it’s not the only way to hydrate, drinking water is the most efficient. It makes sense, doesn’t it? When you’re parched, your body is telling you it needs water. Putting H2O in your mouth is the most direct route.
Beware of overhydration
It’s important to remember that overhydration is a thing. Even water can be lethal if you drink too much of it. But don’t run screaming from the faucet just yet. Overhydration has multiple stages:
First, you’ll take more frequent trips to the bathroom than usual.
Hyponatremia (low sodium levels in your blood) might occur later.
Overhydration leading to water intoxication or death is extremely rare.
As this 2019 research review points out, humans, like all other mammals,
It’s important to remember that overhydration is a thing. Even water can be lethal if you drink too much of it. But don’t run screaming from the faucet just yet. Overhydration has multiple stages:
First, you’ll take more frequent trips to the bathroom than usual.
Hyponatremia (low sodium levels in your blood) might occur later.
Overhydration leading to water intoxication or death is extremely rare.
As this 2019 research review points out, humans, like all other mammals, are actually pretty prone to overdrinking when we’re thirsty. It’s not as difficult to do as you might think. Your body gives you warning signs, though.
“Get a decent night’s sleep, because dehydration can cause leg cramps,
dry cough, and loads of other sleep-interrupting issues.”
How to avoid overhydrating
The best way to avoid overhydration is to drink your water at a steady pace. It’s difficult to say exactly how much water is too much, because it varies not only from person to person but also from day to day.
If you’re exercising a lot, you’ll likely need to drink more water than people who don’t exercise as much. Most cases of overhydration involve people who have consumed more than a liter of water in less than an hour. Stop drinking water if you experience a sudden onset of any of these symptoms:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache
- Disorientation, confusion, or irritation (any sudden/unexpected changes in mental state)
- Muscle cramps or spasms
- Seizures
Medical conditions can affect your water needs
It’s also important to note that many medical conditions and medications can impact your recommended daily water intake. If you take medication or have an underlying health condition, always speak with your doctor before changing your hydration plans.
Symptoms of dehydration
Dehydration happens when your body isn’t hydrated enough (the clue is in the name, right?). If you’re worried that you may be dehydrated, here are some symptoms to look out for:
- Notable thirst
- Yellow/cloudy urine
- Dry mouth/lips/tongue
- Fatigue
- Disorientation, dizziness, or trouble focusing
- Shallow or rapid breathing
- Headache
- Muscle weakness/cramps
When you experience any of the above during your workout, it might be time to pause and top up your water levels. If you’re not exercising and you feel dehydrated, then definitely go drink some water. It’s easy to dehydrate when exercising, but if you’re dehydrated when resting or not physically active, it’s a sign that you haven’t had enough fluids so far that day.
”Reduce your risk of kidney stones, as water helps you flush out excess minerals via your pee”
The final drops
Hydration is all about making sure your cells and organs have enough water. This is especially important during exercise, but all humans need to make proper hydration a priority. On average, humans need to consume about 2 liters of water per day to stay hydrated. This varies hugely, though, and your exact hydration requirements will be based on a bunch of factors like your size, age, level of physical activity, general health, and diet.
Electrolytes like sodium and potassium are also critical for hydration.
Drinking water is the most important factor, but making sure your body has enough electrolytes is just as important, especially if your active lifestyle means you lose a lot of your body’s water reserves through sweat.
The best way to hydrate is to drink water. This is far from the only way, and there are tastier alternatives (and some you don’t even have to drink, like melons and soup). Electrolyte supplements and tablets are also available and can make rehydration more efficient.
Dehydration can lead to serious complications, so it’s important to keep tabs on what your body is telling you about its water needs. If you start experiencing dehydration symptoms, don’t wait around. Get hydrated ASAP.
