Staying Hydrated— Why It Is Important

Staying hydrated is crucial for good health. Some experts suggest drinking 64 ounces of water throughout the day. Others suggest the rule of thumb of drinking one-third of your body weight in fluid ounces of water each day. What everyone seems to agree on: hydration is important. Staying hydrated can improve brain performance, digestion, heart health, and detoxification while decreasing headaches and joint pain. It also assists with weight management, body temperature regulation, and helps prevent kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

Can you recognize signs of dehydration? They can differ by age group. Infants and young children may need help identifying their fluid needs, so provide them with water frequently and watch for signs of dehydration such as dry diapers for as little as 3 hours, sunken cheeks and eyes, no tears when crying, dry tongue, dry mouth, lethargy, and more. For adults, the signs of dehydration are much different and include dizziness, confusion, fatigue, urine that is darker than usual, extreme thirst, and less frequent urination.

Most of your daily intake of fluids should come from water because regular H20 is best for staying hydrated. People often consume sports drinks and energy drinks after exercise or strenuous work, but these beverages do not provide the same level of hydration as water because they can contain very large amounts of added sugar and/or caffeine. If you are planning on engaging in strenuous physical activity for more than an hour at higher-than-normal levels, then sports drinks can be helpful. If not, make regular water your go-to.

Age, health, and climate are factors to consider when determining how much water to drink in a day, but there are other ways to stay hydrated besides drinking water, like including water-rich foods in your diet.

Some fruits and vegetables with high water content include lettuce, zucchini, strawberries, cantaloupe, peaches, and oranges. Consuming soup and stew can also help with hydration.

Despite the many methods to stay hydrated, dehydration can still easily occur. Be sure to visit your health care provider if you suspect you are dehydrated. Low blood pressure, especially when moving from a prone to a standing position, reduced blood flow to your extremities, and a faster-than-normal heart rate can all be signs of dehydration. Seek medical attention quickly for the best recovery.