Our bodies are made up of 60% water, seems incredible doesn't it? But without such a high percentage of water in our system, our bodies just couldn’t function - bodily fluids are needed for digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature.
Steady and consistent hydration is the best way to ensure your body is getting what it needs. Often, we miss the signs of dehydration simply because we don't feel thirsty. But thirst isn't the only indicator of dehydration, there can be all sorts of clues:
- Feeling lightheaded
- Headache
- Dry lips or eyes
- Less frequent trips to the bathroom
- Foggy/fuzzy head
- Tiredness
Dehydration is not always caused in the most obvious of ways either, we all know that hot weather, exercise and illness can dehydrate us. But also an evening of drinking alcohol will cause your kidneys to flush out extra sodium and water through the body when you urinate, because alcohol is a diuretic. The same is true of tea & coffee, as caffeine is a mild diuretic too. How can we make drinking water a habit, so that it counteracts all the different ways that we lose fluids throughout the day?
Here's 3 ways to get started:
Start your day with water!
According to thegrocer.co.uk 32% of consumers say they are unable to start their day without a cup of tea. Perhaps you feel the same way about coffee? Either way, try drinking a glass of water whilst the kettle is boiling. It's a really simple way to get water into your system before the day has even got started with some caffeine! Your body with thank you for it, particularly if you haven't drunk any water during the night.
Habit hacking
Once you have that precious cuppa or coffee in hand, it's easy to roll from one hot drink into the next. These sort of routines are usually deeply ingrained habits, so how can we still enjoy a hot-drink-habit without dehydrating?
1. As with first thing in the morning, you could begin by drinking a glass of water whilst the kettle boils
2. Make your usual hot drink, and a mug of hot water with a slice of lemon - 2 for the price of 1!
3. Alternate between a caffeinated hot drink and a herbal / fruit tea, or glass of water or squash. Mix it up.
Keep track!
There are so many ways to log how much water you are consuming every day and it's a great motivator too. Try one of these ideas to help you get into the habit of drinking enough!
- Download a water tracking app to your mobile phone
There are so many apps to choose from, sometimes water trackers are also included in fitness & nutrition apps like My Fitness Pal, FitBit or Noom.
- Set reminders
If you are desk bound or a busy bee always on your feet, it may slip your mind to grab a glass or two of water regularly. So why not plug a reminder into your phone? PING! - Water on the go
It's become quite a modern habit to carry a bottle of water with us wherever we go, or to always have one to hand on your desk. If you haven't yet invested in a reusable water bottle, there are lots of bottles available to buy that have clear measures on them so that you know how much water you are consuming a day - and refills are easy too!
One last thing...
Any additional non-alcoholic fluids are good for your general health and wellbeing. Don't forget that water-rich foods are also a great way to stay hydrated, so stock up on cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, grapes and lettuce!
More information on hydration from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dehydration/
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