How to Stay Hydrated in the Summer

When it comes to running and biking in the heat, you don’t need to know how to stay just “hydrated,” but how to stay properly hydrated. What’s the distinction between the two? Being properly hydrated isn’t only about guzzling as much water as you can; it’s about making sure that you drink water while keeping your electrolytes balanced. In extreme cases, diluting your blood-sodium levels can lead to death, just as under hydration and heat stroke can. Staying healthy means knowing your water and your electrolytes.

First, try to understand that risk is inherent with exercise, just as with many other daily activities like driving to work or getting on a plane. This risk is not a justification to avoid something altogether. Also, by learning how to properly hydrate your body, you’ll be able to reduce your risk of under or over-doing it.

It’s important to realize that even while replacing lost fluids during exercise is crucial, it’s not absolute law that you need to replace all of your lost fluids. Just because you’re sweating doesn’t mean you have to drink water like a horse. Sometimes, symptoms that people mistake for dehydration such as nausea and muscle weakness aren’t due to dehydration, but over hydration.

How do you know which is which? You should know by how much water you’ve been downing. Listen to your body. If you feel that you keep on drinking and drinking, but your symptoms aren’t going away, then it’s possible that you’re a more likely candidate for over hydration.

Some studies have shown that drinking according to your thirst – not your ideas of staying hydrated – should keep you in a relatively normal balance. If you’re not thirsty but feel weak, water is not going to make you feel better. This could be because water’s not the problem, or because too much water is the problem. It comes down to a simple rule: drink when you’re thirsty.

Should you include salt with your water to keep your blood-sodium levels up? Not necessarily. If you get a normal amount of salt in your diet, you shouldn’t have much of a problem with sweat – despite what Gatorade advertisements tell you. Even runs up to an hour or two probably won’t necessarily require a lot of salt.

Bottom line: you’re going to feel weak when you run. You can only optimize your water intake as far as quenching your thirst.

Photo Credits: Jill Clardy

Originally posted 2009-08-25 03:22:07.

This post involves:

dehydration, distinction, electrolytes, exercise, extreme cases, heat stroke, justification, mistake, muscle weakness, nausea, overhydration, risk, sodium levels, thirst

... and focuses on:

Biking, Health, Running, Swimming

Posted by Bike Swim Run on October 28, 2009 in Biking, Health, Running, Swimming. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.