The sweltering summer heat is here! Longer, hotter days mean more sweating for most of us, which is why it’s important to understand the effects of dehydration and how to prevent it during the summer in particular.
What causes dehydration?
As we look at the effects of dehydration and how to prevent it, we need to consider several factors. Where are you physically located? What is the temperature? What sort of activities will you be doing?
Your location, the temperature and your activities all affect your body’s need for water.
Dehydration could also be caused by an illness. If you are losing fluids due to vomiting, diarrhea or a fever, you can become dehydrated. Sometimes, dehydration is a side effect from certain medications.
Regardless, knowing the effects of dehydration and how to prevent it is key to avoiding it.
The symptoms
Typically, symptoms of dehydration include thirst, lightheadedness, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, a dry mouth, dry skin, less frequent urination and an increased heart rate and breathing.
Although, symptoms may vary from person to person.
Treating dehydration
For starters, mild dehydration can usually be reversed by drinking more fluids, such as water, fruit juice and sports drinks. Dehydration reverses itself once you replenish water and electrolytes, including sodium and potassium.
Moderate to severe dehydration, however, requires medical attention to help restore fluids and possibly lower your heart rate, for instance.
The good news is preventative measures can be taken to help reduce the risk of dehydration. First of all, don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. And if you are outside in the sun or exercising, make sure you drink plenty of fluids and eat more too.
Next, schedule your outdoor physical activities during the cooler parts of the day.
Finally, be on the lookout for sweat rings on your clothes. This could indicate you are losing too much salt. You can drink sports beverages that have added electrolytes to help replenish your body.
Summary
Staying hydrated not only helps you avoid the dangers of dehydration, but it also helps you move and flex your muscles. Water moves nutrients to your cells and helps your body get rid of waste. Like chiropractic, hydration improves your overall health and performance. Keep reading our blogs for more health tips!