With Australian summers feeling like they are getting hotter and hotter, it can be very easy to get dehydrated. Dehydration can cause health problems like fatigue, kidney and heart problems, lower blood sugar, and all-around general discomfort. Whether you have a jam-packed schedule, or you’re just not very good at remembering to drink water throughout the day, we’ve put together some easy tips to stay hydrated.
First of all, you need to know how to recognise the signs of dehydration so you can be aware of when it’s happening to you. The tell-tale signs include feeling thirsty (obviously), dry lips and mouth, headaches or dizziness and feeling extra tired.
Flavouring your water can be a fun and yummy way to trick your brain into wanting to drink more. There are some great options out there for water-flavouring that can also add essential nutrients and vitamins to your water as a bonus. Be mindful of how much sugar your flavoured water can contain, as too much sugar can make you more dehydrated. Alternatively, you could try flavouring your water with some fruit. Lime, lemon, strawberries, blueberries, mint, cucumber, all add a nice fresh flavour to your water (and also look pretty).
Investing in a water bottle can be a great way to motivate yourself to drink more water, and will also have a positive impact on the environment as you’ll be cutting down on the number of plastic water bottles you purchase. It could even be beneficial to try and find one of those water bottles that have the measurements on the side so you can track how much water you’ve drank or need to drink on any given day. Buying a few and keeping one in your car, one at the office, and one by your bed or couch will mean there’s always water readily available for you and it will require less effort to drink it.
Similar to putting fruit in your water, another great way to stay hydrated is to eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in water. Watermelon and celery have really high levels of water in them, as well as strawberries, pineapple and oranges. Do some research yourself as to whether your favourite fruits and veg have high levels of H2O. This will also assist in keeping your energy levels up as you’ll be snacking throughout the day.
Make sure you’re looking after yourself and staying hydrated!