You’ve heard the hydration guideline to drink 8 glasses of water a day. But is that the truth? Hype? And what else comes into play when considering how much to drink in a day?
There are a lot of factors to consider when striving to hit your hydration needs, including:
- Heat and humidity. The hotter the weather, the more you’re likely to sweat out essential moisture.
- Sweat: When you work out, how soon and heavily do you sweat? Being an early and heavy sweater during exercise can actually be an indication of strong cardiovascular fitness—if your body is optimized for exercise, it engages sweating as part of efficiency. But it also means you will need more fluid to recover post-workout. You can also check your clothing for “sweat stains.” Deep yellow or even white stains on your clothing can indicate your sweat is concentrated or high in salt, which indicates you may need to drink more water.
- Medical factors: If you’re pregnant, nursing, or on certain medications, you may need to increase your intake of water.
How do you know if you’re dehydrated?
Frankly, many people are out of touch with their body’s need for hydration. And most of us drink far less casually than if we’re being intentional. Too, while thirst is a key indicator that your body needs fluids, it’s not the only one. And if you’re accustomed to ignoring your thirst, either due to busyness or simple lack of access, your body might be telling you in other ways. Other top indicators you’re dehydrated include:
- Lightheadedness
- Sleepiness
- Having dark urine—the darker yellow your urine, the more urgent it is to hydrate. Healthy, hydrated urine should be nearly colorless!
- Dry mouth
- Dry or dull skin and hair—this is often a sign of chronic dehydration. You’ll love how much your skin plumps and radiates, fingernails get stronger, and hair becomes more manageable with better hydration.
Water, water everywhere, but far too much to drink
A key challenge to getting enough water is many people find it boring. Just swigging down plain water—and lots of it—can take practice and discipline. That’s why it’s OK to balance water intake with other healthy fluids, so long as you’re watching sugar content and other unwanted ingredients.
Because you actually CAN drink too much water, you’ll want to consume beverages that keep your electrolytes and sodium levels in your blood balanced rather than diluted, and promote clear thinking, energy, and mood. A great option is selected sports drinks. For exceptional pre- and post-workout rehydration, we love PerX from HCo. Even if your “workout” is getting through a demanding and stressful day, PerX delivers a refreshingly different option than water, but with nootropic (focus) benefits, antioxidants to fight free radicals, zero added sugar, and electrolytes to keep your mind clear and body running smoothly.
Hydration can be delicious, thanks to PerX, available in refreshing Berry Blast, plus other limited-time flavors throughout the year. Discover your happy hydration alternative without the hype!
