Knowing how to stay hydrated, which involves following water intake recommendations, eating water-rich foods, and limiting your intake of dehydrating substances, is crucial for your overall health and well-being, helping you avoid dehydration. You don't want to become dehydrated, as it's dangerous, even deadly.
Dehydration can lead to severe health complications, such as heat strokes and seizures.
Indeed, an article published in the National Library of Medicine says that dehydration is a leading cause of hospitalization, accounting for 1% to 3% of all U.S. hospital admissions. It also notes that research associates this condition with increased healthcare costs, extended hospital stays, and higher mortality rates.
With our hydration tips, you can be on your way to staying hydrated daily and avoiding severe health woes and complications.
What Is the Fastest Way to Stay Hydrated?
Drinking plenty of fluids, particularly plain water, is the fastest way for you to stay hydrated.
As Healthline explains, water absorption occurs in as little as five minutes after you ingest it. The absorption rate then peaks in about 20 minutes.
What Hydrates the Body Faster Than Water?
While the fastest way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of water regularly, some studies suggest that milk and oral hydrating solutions may hydrate a dehydrated body faster than water.
According to Verywell Health, some small studies point to the theoretical possibility that milk is more hydrating than water. The data, albeit limited, showed that milk can maintain fluid balance and hydration better than still water. It may be due to dairy's electrolytes and macronutrients.
However, water remains the best choice for practical, everyday hydration. Not everyone can drink milk, either, as some people may have lactose intolerance or dairy allergies.
Oral hydrating solutions, such as Pedialyte, may also help you rehydrate faster than just water. According to MedicineNet, research shows that such beverages can help with dehydration and fluid retention.
What Are the 5 Main Symptoms of Dehydration?
Dehydration can manifest in many ways, but five of the most common signs include:
- An intense feeling of thirst or the need to drink fluids
- A persistent or prolonged feeling of dryness in the mouth and throat
- Urinating less, producing less urine, or having darker-than-usual urine
- Feeling weak, tired, sluggish, or having no energy
- Feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or faint
If you or someone you care about experiences those symptoms, it's crucial to get hydrated as soon as possible before the symptoms worsen and cause more severe complications like heat stroke or fainting episodes.
What Are Some Easy Hydration Strategies?
No matter how hectic your daily schedule is, achieving hydration for busy lifestyles should be a top priority, considering how dehydration can affect your health and well-being enough to land you in the hospital. Follow these tips and tactics so you can stay on the go and replenish lost fluids along the way.
Follow Water Intake Recommendations
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the National Academy of Medicine recommends that healthy men drink 13 cups of daily fluids for adequate intake (AI). Healthy women, on the other hand, should aim for at least 9 cups.
Adults who are more physically active or exposed to much warmer climates may have to drink more, though.
If your busy lifestyle makes you forget to drink enough water, consider bringing around a portable, reusable water bottle. You can even keep beverages hot or cold if you explore Polar Camel tumbler options, which feature a vacuum-insulated construction.
You can also set reminders on your phone or have post-it notes at home or in the office to help you remember your hydration goals.
Eat Water-Rich Foods
Fresh, juicy fruits and vegetables can help you stay hydrated while supplying your body with essential vitamins and nutrients. Some of the best examples of water-rich foods to add to your diet are:
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Squash
- Spinach
Limit Your Intake of Dehydrating Substances
Dehydrating substances are those that can act like diuretics in your body. Diuretics are typically medications that can increase your urine output by encouraging your kidneys to excrete water and sodium (salt).
Beverages that contain caffeine are some examples of dehydrating substances. Coffee and tea are among the most common, but carbonated drinks (like cola) can also cause you to urinate more. Soft drinks also have loads of sugar, which is another good reason to minimize their intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Possible to Drink "Too Much" Water?
Yes.
While you must drink plenty of fluids every day to stay hydrated, it's also possible to drink too much of them. According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, consuming over 1.5 liters every hour could put you at risk of developing hyponatremia.
What Is Hyponatremia?
Hyponatremia is a medical condition in which the sodium (salt) level in the body is much lower than the usual range. It can be dangerous, as you need adequate sodium to help regulate the amount of water in and around your cells.
If you experience hyponatremia, your body's water levels increase, causing your cells to swell. The swelling can then lead to various problems, from minor issues like nausea to headaches and loss of energy, to more severe problems like confusion, seizures, and even coma.
Should You Drink More During Hot Days?
Yes, you should, as your body loses more fluids when it's hotter and you're also expending more energy (e.g., you're exercising or doing another form of physical activity).
However, you should avoid consuming large amounts of water infrequently because, at this point, you may already be experiencing dehydration. At the very least, it can make you feel bloated.
It's better to drink smaller amounts at shorter intervals by taking regular sips from your water bottle.
How to Stay Hydrated? Now You Know
As you learned from this guide on how to stay hydrated, the first step is to know your daily water intake recommendation, typically 13 cups for healthy men and 9 cups for healthy women. Taking regular sips of water is also better than drinking it infrequently and in gulps.
By following all these hydration tips and tactics, you can keep dehydration at bay.
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