6 tips on staying hydrated

July 7, 2013 Emma Shergold Recent Posts All Posts Life Coaching Mental Health Neurodivergence Office Management Run Coaching Sports Massage Virtual Assistance My response to: “So, what do you do?” How to set your own goals What makes me a good life coach 5 reasons to use a password manager There is no such thing as Blue Monday Receiving a middle-aged autism diagnosis How to set successful New Year resolutions 6 tips on staying hydrated Categories Life CoachingMental HealthNeurodivergenceOffice ManagementRun CoachingSports MassageVirtual Assistance Business Support Office Management CRM/Database Management Email Inbox Management Bookkeeping Event Support Website Management Email Automations Project Coordination Access Support Life Coaching General Life Coaching Transitional Life Coaching Exercise & Fitness Coaching Diet & Nutrition Coaching Run Coaching Business Coaching EV Sports Sports Massage Beginner Running Course Return to Running Course Fundamentals of Running Course Run Coaching Qualifications & CPD Business Management Diploma Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Financial Crime Mentoring & Coaching Skills Psychology of Behaviour Change Life Coaching & Mindfulness Diploma Advanced Personal Training Diploma England Athletics Running Coach Gym Instruction Nutrition & Weight Management Nutrition for Sport & Exercise Circuit Training Pilates Fundamentals Pre and Post Natal Nutrition Pre and Post Natal Massage Sports & Remedial Massage Diploma 6 TIPS ON STAYING HYDRATED I am sure you have heard that it is important to not become dehydrated, but has anyone told you why? Or how to help ensure you take on enough fluids? You require water for pretty much every bodily function, including your cardio/respiratory system, digestion, concentration and muscle contraction. Your body will distribute your water intake as evenly as possible but if there is not enough your body will struggle to function effectively and some of the following symptoms may be indicators of dehydration: Feeling tired Headaches Dizziness Muscle Stiffness/cramps Irritability Increased anxiety Although, for some people, thirst can be a good indication that you need a drink, for others it could already be a sign of dehydration. Below are a few tips on how you can keep your fluid levels up. 6 TIPS ON STAYING HYDRATED DRINK A GLASS OF WATER WHEN YOU WAKE UP By taking a glass of water to bed with you, you can achieve two things before you even get up: You will kick-start your fluid quota for the day with up to 500ml already in the bag! The fluid will also help wake you up and shift some of the early morning grogginess Depending on your morning routine, you could split this into two drinks: One when you first wake up, before you get out of bed The second after you have had a shower/got dressed, before you have breakfast/leave the house Whatever routine you create for yourself, this tip will have you drinking up to a quarter of your daily fluid requirement without too much effort. KEEP A DRINK WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE DAY Whether you spend most of your day at home, in a workplace or other establishment, or travelling around, having a drink with you at all times can help keep those fluid levels topped up. Here are some ideas: Have a glass of water on your desk with you Use a water bottle if this is easier to carry around Keep a separate bottle in a bag or vehicle if you travel throughout the day FIND FLAVOURS YOU LIKE DRINKING Whilst the ‘best’ thing to drink might be plain water, if you find yourself not drinking much because water is too bland, or you don’t like the taste, then here are some ideas to provide some flavouring: Fruit teas Cold infuse bags that can be left in a bottle/glass all day Cold water with fresh fruit, e.g. strawberries and limes Hot water with fresh ginger, lemon or mint Squash Although I personally use squash for convenience, it’s worth pointing out that some squashes and infuse bags contain other ingredients that you may want to check or limit, depending on your preferences and beliefs. Overall, I do believe that I am doing more good by having a bit of flavour in my water so that I am able to drink at least two litres of fluid a day, rather than ending up dehydrated by trying to force (and subsequently avoiding) plain water. LIMIT YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE Although more recent studies have shown that you’d need to drink about five cups of strong coffee in one go for it to have a diuretic effect, drinking too much caffeine throughout the day can have other effects on your health. If you are drinking more than 3-4 cups of caffeinated drinks per day, then here are some tips to reducing your intake: Reduce by one cup a day per week. I.e. each week, reduce your caffeinated drinks by one cup per day, so that within four weeks, you’ll be drinking four less cups a day than you wereSubstitute for decaffeinated tea and coffeeAlternate your drinks by having a non-caffeinated drink in between every caffeinated one How you reduce your caffeine intake is up to you, but please be aware of common side effects of stopping large amounts of caffeine ‘cold turkey’, such as: Headaches Fatigue Irritability Anxiety Tremors Difficulty concentrating Depressed mood Muscle pain Ironically, these are similar to not drinking enough fluids in the first place, so it is important to work on consuming the right amount of the right fluids. EAT FRESH FRUIT Eating fresh fruit, particularly strawberries, kiwis and oranges that naturally contain high amounts of water, helps to increase your fluid consumption, and also counts towards your five portions of fruit and veg – win-win! If you’re not keen on eating individual portions, creating smoothies from 2-3 pieces of your favourite fruit and/or vegetables is a good way to get your fluid and nutrient quota. This is one that I make sometimes, especially if I’m feeling a bit unwell and/or tired: Handful of blueberries (I use frozen) 1 orange cut into quarters and peeled 2 fingers/rings of pineapple (I use tinned) 1/2