4 Simple Ways to Stay Hydrated This Summer

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Do you know how to tell if your body is hydrated? (Photo: Lawren Lu/Stocksy)

You may have heard that there’s no science behind the age-old advice to drink eight cups of water a day, but how much should you be drinking? It seems like a pretty basic question, but unfortunately there’s no clear-cut answer. It’s actually surprising how little we know about the relationship between hydration and long-term health, given that water is the one nutrient we can’t survive without for more than a few days (we can live significantly longer without calories, carbs, or essential vitamins). Part of this knowledge gap stems from the fact that there is no scientific concensus regarding the definition of “optimal hydration” and no one perfect method for assessing fluid status. There’s also a shortage of reliable data on how much water and total fluids people drink on average, since relatively few studies have methodically assessed this.

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The Institute of Medicine updated its recommendations regarding water intake in 2004, and set the adequate intake for adults aged 19 and older at 2.7 liters daily for women (about 11 cups) and 3.7 liters for men (about 16 cups). However, these guidelines reflect average intake in the U.S. population, rather than an optimal requirement based on actual health outcomes, and as mentioned above, they’re based on insufficient data. And the recommendations don’t refer to just pure water. They encompass total fluid intake from all beverages (including coffee and tea) as well as foods. About 20 percent of our daily water needs come from fruits, vegetables, meats, and other foods, which means most people don’t actually need to gulp down 11 to 16 cups of liquid every day to stay hydrated.

The European guidelines, published in 2010, are more conservative. They advise an average intake of 2 liters of total fluid in women (about 8 cups) and 2.5 liters (about 11 cups) in men, again from beverages and food combined. The discrepancy between the U.S. and European recommendations gives you an idea of how difficult it is to set population-wide hydration goals, given the high variability in individual needs.

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Both sets of guidelines are intended for people engaging in moderate amounts of physical activity in temperate climates. Athletes may have much higher needs, especially if they’re exercising outdoors in hot, humid weather. Heavy exercisers can lose up to 6 liters of water per day through sweat in extreme conditions and need to drink an equivalent amount to replace these losses. If you’re a fitness buff, I recommend checking out the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations on hydrating before, during, and after exercise.

For most people, urine color and volume are typically good indicators of hydration status. That’s because our bodies adapt to variable fluid intakes by adjusting the amount and concentration of urine our kidneys produce. If your urine is a pale yellow or straw color, it’s a good sign that you’re drinking adequately. If your urine is dark-colored (like apple juice) or you’re urinating small volumes infrequently, you are likely dehydrated. But even these methods aren’t 100 percent reliable. If you’re dehydrated but drink a large volume of water quickly, your body will produce pale, diluted urine, even though your body’s water stores may not be replenished. Some supplements and medications can also cause you to produce darker urine for several hours after taking them.

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Severe dehydration has serious health consequences, but even mild dehydration may be damaging. Research shows that losing just 2 percent of your normal, well-hydrated body weight can contribute to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, confusion, and impaired mood. Dehydration can also cause headaches, and drinking plenty of water may help to relieve these types of headaches within a few hours. One study in migraine sufferers found that drinking an extra 1.5 liters of water a day reduced the intensity and duration of headaches, though it did not reduce the total number of headaches they experienced. Dehydration is also a major risk factor for kidney stones, which now affect 1 in 11 adults (prevalence rates have nearly doubled over the past 15 years). Drinking plenty of water is key to preventing a recurrence, especially in hot summer months.

How to Make Hydration a Habit

Many people are so busy that they barely have time to eat, let alone pause for a water break, and you may find you often go hours and hours without quenching your thirst. But staying hydrated has real advantages, including helping you maintain your energy and focus so you can operate more efficiently, so it’s important to give your drinking habits the attention they deserve. Here are some simple ways to make fueling up with fluid throughout the day a little easier:

  1. Always carry a water bottle, and if you have desk job, always keep one at your desk.If you have a bottle within arms reach, it’s very likely that you’ll mindlessly sip from it throughout the day, without having to make a conscious effort.

  2. When you’re feeling frazzled or hazy, grab a glass of cold water. Studies show that people instantly feel more alert after drinking H2O. It’s a simple, healthy way to snap out of a midday slump.

  3. Sip on a mug of herbal tea every evening. If you make this a habit, you’ll add an extra cup of fluid to your tally every single day. On top of that, this relaxing ritual is a wonderful way to de-stress at the end of the day.

  4. Eat a diet rich in whole foods. By eating water-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, and yogurt, you’ll automatically up your fluid intake. On the other hand, processed snack foods like chips, crackers, and baked goods have minimal water content.

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If you’re an elderly adult or a caretaker for one, it’s especially important to pay attention to hydration. Aging impairs the body’s natural thirst mechanisms, which makes it easier to become dehydrated. It may be helpful to fill up a big water bottle (at least 1 liter) at the beginning of the day, with the goal of emptying it by the end of the day. The water bottle is a physical reminder to drink even if you’re not thirsty.

This article originally appeared on EverydayHealth.com: 4 Simple Ways to Stay Hydrated This Summer

By Johannah Sakimura, Everyday Health columnist

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