If you’re interested in reading about wellness and health then you’ll likely know how important it is for you to keep hydrated. The problem is, if you don’t know why it’s important, you’ll find it hard to maintain the motivation and structure you need to keep you at your well-hydrated best.
Today we’re taking a look at the ‘why’s of hydration, as well as the ‘how’s.
What Does Your Body Need Water For?
Your body uses the fluid you hydrate it with for all sorts of vital tasks.
- Staying cool
Water is used to help maintain a healthy core temperature through sweating – when you heat up, your body releases some of its fluid reserves in sweat, which evaporates from your skin, leaving it cooler.
- Joints and spine
Water also helps protect your spinal cord and joints – these sensitive parts of your body are lubricated and cushioned by water.
- Clearing toxins
Your body uses water to flush out toxins: it’s water that makes up the urine that carries waste out of your body via your kidneys, and water is an important part of your faeces as well. Your sweat and even your tears can contain waste products from your body.
- Digestion and nutrition
Being well hydrated helps your body to digest food, and reduces instances of indigestion and acid reflux. It also helps you absorb more nutrients from your food!
- Cell structure
The cells of your body maintain their rigid structure because they’re full of water. If the fluid balance of your cells goes awry, you can experience some real discomfort. Think of a hangover: a lot of that headache is caused by your cells being so dehydrated your brain shrinks within your skull!
Hydration Challenges
If you want to maintain a healthy level of hydration and avoid some of these unpleasant side effects, you need to ensure you’re aware of when your hydration levels are challenged, and have plans in place to face the challenge!
Beyond the day to day, specific things that challenge your hydration can include extremely hot weather, a tough workout, or an extended period of physical activity , all of which can lead to excess perspiration; illness, which can cause sweating, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as sapping your energy and concentration which makes it less likely you’ll remember to rehydrate; and travel, which takes you out of your normal routine and makes it less likely you’ll be aware of the risks and staying on top of hydrating regularly.
Using a product like ORS hydration, or a rehydration sachet from a pharmacist makes it easier to hydrate when you need to by topping up your electrolytes as well as just your fluid levels.
