You don’t have to be a health guru to know that staying hydrated is incredibly important to your overall wellness. Not only does hydration prevent you from being thirsty, but it also helps your body regulate its internal temperature, allows your vital organs to function properly, maintains a healthy balance of electrolytes, enhances your physical and mental performance and helps your skin maintain its elasticity.
It’s important to stay hydrated year round, but even more so during the summer months when the weather is hot and humid. “Hot weather increases the body’s need for water due to higher rates of perspiration as the body attempts to cool itself,” says Chris Ryan, CSCS, founder of Chris Ryan Fitness. “Unlike colder weather, where sweat may evaporate quickly and unnoticed, in hot weather, the body loses significant amounts of water and electrolytes through visible sweat.” This increased fluid loss, he further explains, can lead to dehydration more rapidly, making it crucial to maintain proper hydration to support bodily functions and prevent heat-related illnesses.
Signs of Dehydration
If you’re feeling thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Other common signs of dehydration include dry skin with low elasticity, darker yellow urine, dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness and/or headache, explains functional dietitian Jenna Volpe, R.D.N., L.D., C.L.T. While mild dehydration may feel like more of an inconvenience and discomfort than anything else, if left unchecked, Volpe warns that it can quickly escalate to bigger problems.
“For example, extreme dehydration in hot weather can increase the risk of developing acute kidney failure, blood pressure abnormalities, seizures, blood pressure and heart abnormalities or fainting,” she says. “Electrolyte imbalances (sodium, potassium, and/or magnesium) are also possible in severe/extreme cases of dehydration—and this is especially concerning because these electrolytes impact heart muscle contraction.”
While there’s no one-size-fits all when it comes to how much water you should be consuming, the general recommendation is that men drink about 16 cups (3.7 liters) and women drink about 11 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids per day, per the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.
If you’re looking to increase your hydration through the hot summer months, follow these expert-approved strategies for getting your H2O fix.
1. Invest in a large daily water bottle
Volpe recommends investing in a large daily water bottle that features water level lines marked for various times throughout the day. “How it works is that the water level marked at the highest point is labeled as a morning time, and each interval progressively goes down a few hours until evening time,” she says. “This technique can help to hold people accountable, especially those who are goal-oriented and do well with challenges.”
2. Keep a cooler of water in your car
To make sure you never run out of water when you really need it, Volpe recommends keeping a cooler of bottled water in the trunk of the car ready and waiting for you during outdoor activities. “Not many people enjoy sipping on water that has been sitting in a hot car for hours, but keeping water packed in a cooler may also help to make it more palatable, appealing and overall refreshing on a hot day.”
3. Choose the right fluids
While water is essential, consider electrolyte-rich drinks like coconut water or sports drinks during intense physical activity or prolonged heat exposure, notes Ryan. He also recommends limiting sugary drinks, alcohol and excessive caffeine, as they can contribute to dehydration.
4. Set a reminder to drink on your phone
Consider setting phone alarms for hydration at various time intervals throughout the day.
“This is a proactive (versus reactive) way to help prevent dehydration in its tracks before it has a chance to happen,” says Volpe. “Phone alarms can also be very convenient for those of us who are busy and forget to drink water during blocks of time throughout the day for extra accountability among those who don’t get thirsty or find that hydration is ‘out of sight, out of mind.’”
5. Create a “hydration station” at home or at the office
“This can be as simple as a water bottle easily available at all times, or getting fancy by making a large pitcher of water and infusing it with fresh citrus, sliced cucumbers and/or aromatic herbs,” says Volpe. “Aside from making hydration more interesting, it can be tasty and a nice way to get an extra boost of antioxidants/vitamin C.”