Sip on This: Let’s Chat About Hydration!

Your body is made mostly of water, so it’s worth taking some time to reflect on hydration and how you’re doing. This is where you can get lost trying to do some internet searching to figure out what you can about your hydration needs, only to be bombarded with too much information, and often information that isn’t tailored to you individually. We’re here to help demystify! Read on for some tips and tricks and you’ll be on your way to boosting your hydration.

Benefits of Hydration:

• Body temperature regulation

• Protection for tissues, including your spinal cord

• Removal of waste via sweating, urination, and bowel movements

• Lubrication and cushioning of joints 

• Improved attention, memory, and reaction times

• Improved mental health and overall mood

Signs of Dehydration:

• Mild: dry mouth, fatigue, brain fog, headaches, muscle cramps, irritability, tension, and anxiety

• Severe: any of the above, plus - confusion, dry sunken eyes, dry and/or cracked lips, low blood pressure, severe muscle cramps, difficulty with mobility

• Note that sometimes these symptoms can be hard for some to perceive and/or connect to their hydration needs. Talking more with your doctor or a dietitian can help you learn how to recognize thirst for yourself.

How much do you really need (and can anyone know exactly…?)?

The amount of water one needs can vary for many reasons (see below). You may be able to find information online telling you need to have “xyz” ounces of water each day, but those recommendations are often not tailored to one’s particular needs or circumstances. A common recommendation has been for people to drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day, which is 64 ounces in total. This isn’t necessarily a “bad” recommendation, but it might not be the appropriate recommendation for everybody. Talking with a dietitian can help you learn more about your individual hydration needs and how they can vary. If you are experiencing signs of dehydration changes are you could benefit from increased hydration.

Factors that can influence hydration needs:

• Living in a hot climate

• Physical activity level

• Illness: fever, diarrhea, vomiting especially

• Pregnancy 

• Breastfeeding

• Age

• Medications

  
  

What can you drink besides plain water to support hydration?

You don’t have to just drink plain water to achieve your hydration goals! Plain water is great, don’t get us wrong, but there are many ways to get water if plain water alone isn’t working for you. 

Some ideas include:

• Juice

• Flavored or infused water

• Sparkling water

• Milk (dairy or non-dairy)

• Sports drinks or electrolyte beverages

• Coconut water

• Herbal tea

• Smoothies

• Foods that have a high water content contribute to hydration, such as strawberries, watermelon, cucumbers, spinach, grapefruit, soups, broths, popsicles, drinkable yogurt

*Note about sports drinks and electrolyte beverages: These are super helpful options, especially if you are an athlete, are sweating a lot in the heat, have a medical need for increased electrolytes, are engaging in endurance sports/activities, etc.. That said, they aren’t necessary for everyday hydration needs, though can still be used if you like them. Speaking more with a dietitian can help you determine whether sports drinks or electrolyte beverages are important for you, as well as when, how much which ones, and other details.

What does caffeine have to do with hydration? 

Caffeine has long been thought to negatively impact hydration status by acting as a diuretic, and to some extent it can or may. Low-to-moderate amounts of caffeine may not impact hydration status all that much, though it can be helpful to ensure you’re also drinking non-caffeinated beverages through the day. Some folks are more sensitive to caffeine than others, too, so it’s always best to learn what leaves you feeling your best when making decisions around caffeine. Yet another area where a dietitian can be helpful! Sometimes you might want to reach for caffeine during that afternoon energy crash, but in reality water and/or food might be what your body really needs.

Urine color can be one indicator of hydration, so take a look in the bowl! 

Urine that is paler in color (think light lemonade or lighter) can indicate sufficient hydration. Urine that is darker in color (think apple juice or darker) can indicate insufficient hydration. You might see darker urine in the morning when you first go to the bathroom, and this can be normal after going overnight without drinking as much water. Certain vitamins can also impact urine color and make it more yellow or seem darker, so while urine color is an indicator of hydration, it’s not foolproof! Keeping an eye on urine volume and/or how often you use the restroom (or not) in the day can also tell you helpful information about your hydration status.

Trouble remembering to drink or have a hard time with it in general? 

Setting reminders or alarms is one way to help you remember to check in what yourself about your hydration during the day. There are different apps (Waterllama, Plant Nanny, etc.) or ways to log your water that can help remind you, too. The Finch is an app that  helps you track goals or tasks in the day, and is one some of our clients have found helpful with working on increased water intake. Habit stacking drinking water with other tasks or parts of your day can also help you remember. One example is making an effort to drink some water after each meeting you have during the work day. Of course, you can drink water during meetings, too, but ensuring you drink some between them or in transition to your next task will ensure you’re getting hydration across the day. Another idea is getting started first thing in the morning with water. You could keep a glass of water near your bed and get the hydration going before you even get up. There are many ways to habit stack drinking water, and the key is to think about regular tasks and events you have in the day (some “anchors” in your day) and consider where you can stack on drinking water. Keeping water accessible is also something that can help, such as keeping a water bottle near you when working, one in the bedroom, a glass in the kitchen, etc.. Of course, learning what kind of water vessel you prefer (straw versus no straw, tumbler/bottle versus glass/cup, etc.) plays a major role in making drinking water appealing and approachable.

We want to hear from you! 

We love chatting with folks about hydration and helping them find ways to meet their needs. Reach out if you’d like support with water or any nutrition needs!

Written by Sarita Aguirre, MS, RDN, LDN, CEDS-C