Why is hydration important?

Water makes up over two-thirds of the human body and drinking enough water each day is crucial for staying healthy. Hydration is important for regulating body temperature, preventing infections, promoting proper organ function, and improving sleep quality and mood. Around 20% of our daily water intake comes from the food we eat, and 80% is from what we drink.

What causes dehydration?

Dehydration is caused by not drinking enough fluid or by losing more fluid than you consume. The severity of dehydration can depend on a number of factors, such as climate, level of physical activity and your diet. When the normal water content of your body is reduced, it upsets the balance of minerals in your body, which affects the way it functions.

What are the side effects of dehydration?

Water intake is key as it lubricates the joints and eyes, aids digestion, flushes out waste and toxins, and keeps the skin healthy. So, dehydration has many impacts including:

  • Sweating
  • Headaches
  • Cold and pale skin
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Brain fog
  • Nausea
  • Muscle aches

How do I know if I'm drinking enough water?

As a general guide, the average woman should drink a minimum of 11 glasses of water each day and the average man 16 glasses. Simply having a drink when you are thirsty is not enough to stay hydrated and by the time you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated so you need to form the habit of drinking water regularly throughout the day.

To stay hydrated, we recommend using our Guardian hydration bottle, which comes with a refill counter so you can easily monitor your water intake throughout the day meaning you don’t have to carry a big water bottle around. This water bottle also keeps your liquids cold for 18 hours which is a real positive in the summer months or if you are out hiking, or at the gym exercising.

What are the other benefits of a Thermos water bottle?

Drinking from disposable plastic bottles may lead to chemical leaching and toxicity. Chemical leaching occurs when heat causes the toxic chemicals from the plastic to be released into the water so this could be damaging to your health. To read more about how our vacuum flasks can improve your overall health, read our journal post here.

The average 500ml plastic water bottle now costs around 90p, if you are buying one of these each day, within a month you have spent £27 per month on non-recyclable plastic bottles. Buying a Thermos water bottle will not only save you money in the long run, but also help the environment.

 What are the best ways to stay hydrated?

  • 1. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is the easiest and most effective way to keep hydrated. A general guide to follow is a minimum of 11 glasses of water each day for the average woman and 16 glasses per day for the average man.

 

  • 2. Eat foods with a high water content. Fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, celery, watermelon are very high in water content compared to other foods, this will help keep you hydrated.

 

  • 3. Avoid beverages that will dehydrate you. Drinks such as coffee, energy drinks, alcoholic drinks and fizzy drinks can lead to dehydration, so, it is recommended to limit your intake of these drinks. These drinks typically cause a loss of electrolytes.

 

  • 4. Consider adding electrolytes in drinks. If you are someone who partakes in a lot of physical exercises, you may need to replace electrolytes such as potassium or sodium, these are lost through sweat. Drinks such as coconut water and sports drinks are good sources of electrolytes.

 

  • 5. Add fruit to your water. Adding some flavour to your water can help motivate you to drink more throughout the day. You don't have to drink just plain water, you can add some of your favourite fruits.

 

  • 6. Invest in a high quality water flask. Having a water bottle always with you that is leak proof, and keeps your water cold will encourage you to drink more, especially if it has a fun design you love, you’re more likely to take it everywhere with you.

 

  • 7. Set a daily goal on your phone. Set a daily goal for how much water you want to drink every day. Setting reminders on your phone throughout the day will help you remember to drink water.

 

  • 8. Consume enough sea salt. To keep hydrated you also need sodium and potassium. Sprinkling a bit of sea salt on your food will help with hydration as sea salt (sodium) helps to regulate your water and potassium levels. Sodium and potassium also enhance your hydration levels. If you are very active in your daily life you will also need a higher sodium intake as you will be losing salt through your sweat.

 

The more water your body loses through sweating from heat or physical activity the more fluids you will need to drink to make up for this loss. Keeping hydrated is important for your body to function properly and it is good for your well-being. You should prioritise drinking plenty of water throughout the day.