How to Stay Hydrated for Optimal Physical & Cognitive Performance!

 

Hydration is vital for both your overall physical and mental health. For example, did you know that:

"Being dehydrated by just 2% impairs performance in tasks that require attention, psychomotor, and immediate memory skills, as well as assessment of the subjective state."

Our bodies are made up of 60% water! We lose water all the time - when we go to the bathroom, sweat, or even as we breathe!

Although, on average, it's said we lose about a cup of water per day just by breathing. But we can lose even more fluid through breathing with vigorous exercise or prolonged physical work.

And did you know research shows that people lose around 42% more water at night simply by mouth breathing instead of nose breathing? Maintaining better hydration may be one of the many health benefits of mouth-taping for sleep. 

Drinking enough water is vital for our body to stay healthy and function properly. Water helps regulate our internal temperature, metabolize food, lubricate our joints, flush waste through urine, sweat, and feces, and produce saliva.

Insufficient fluid intake can lead to dehydration which can cause kidney problems, electrolyte imbalances, and other issues.

So, How Much Water Should You Drink Today?

The 6-8 glasses of water per day rule has no scientific basis. For normal healthy adults, 8 glasses of water are nowhere near enough - unless they're huge glasses. 

For example, according to an article published by the University of Nebraska's Health Center, it's essential to drink enough water every day based on gender. 

Men should have around 16 cups of fluid daily, while women should have 11 cups.

You probably need to drink more if you exercise frequently, sweat a lot, or are sick with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.

That said it's also possible to drink too much water, especially if you have certain medical conditions, which could be dangerous for those with heart issues or electrolyte abnormalities. It's best to check with your doctor to find the right amount of water for your body, health status, and activity level.

Getting water from food is also an important way to stay hydrated. High-water-content foods such as fruits and vegetables should be included in your diet as part of a healthy eating plan.

Some top choices include celery, lettuce, watermelon, strawberries, oranges, apples, grapefruit, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini. Adding these foods to your diet will help ensure that you stay hydrated and receive the crucial vitamins and minerals your body needs to function optimally.

Is it Possible to Drink Too-Much Water? 

You denifantly want to be careful. Even normal healthy adults can drink too much, resulting in an acute severe medical condition called "hyponatremia."

Hyponatremia occurs when the sodium concentration in your blood is too low due to excess fluid intake. It's what happens when there's too much water and not enough salt/electrolytes for body nerves and other cells to function correctly.

Although hyponatremia most commonly occurs during endurance and high-intensity sports, you still need to be careful to drink the right amount of water. Signs and symptoms of hyponatremia include headaches, nausea or vomiting, confusion, fatigue, muscle cramps, weakness, or spasms.

The Critical Role of Electrolytes in Staying Hydrated - What They are and How to Get Them:

Electrolytes are minerals (essential here are sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) that help regulate your body's balance of fluids.

When it comes to staying hydrated, electrolytes are essential - without them, our cells can't do their jobs. The good thing is there are lots of tasty and healthy ways to get more electrolytes in your diet.

Some natural sources include canned fish and seafood, dairy products (milk, yogurt), nuts and seeds, bananas, avocados, oranges, and other citrus fruits.

Electrolyte drinks and supplements have become extremely popular over the last few years, but they can be expensive.

However, one of the leading electrolyte supplement companies, "Drink LMNT," published a simple and really affordable electrolyte drink recipe you can make at home at a fraction of the cost. The formula is as follows:

"INGREDIENTS (serves 1):

• 1-quart water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Dash of stevia, to taste (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt (provides ~1 g sodium)
• 400 mg potassium chloride powder (provides ~200 mg potassium)
• ¼ teaspoon of magnesium malate (provides ~60 mg magnesium)

DIRECTIONS: Stir or shake to mix well. Add all of the above to a blender and blend with 1/2 to 1 cup of ice."

What's the best way to know whether you're sufficiently hydrated right now? 

One of the simplest & fastest ways to know if you're staying hydrated is to periodically monitor the color of your urine after you go to the bathroom. You can do this by viewing it in the toilet before you flush. For example, your urine's light yellow (straw-like)color typically means you are well hydrated. 

On the other hand, darker-colored urine indicates you are likely dehydrated and need to up your fluid intake until you reach the yellow-straw color. The darker the urine, the more dehydrated the person who peed. 

Why Drinking only When Your Thirsty is a Bad Idea

One of the most common misconceptions you'll hear about staying hydrated is drinking when your body tells you it's thirsty. But research indicates there are far better ways than relying solely on your thirst to keep your body hydrated.

For example, studies have shown that it may already be too late by the time you feel thirsty - about 1-2% of fluid loss has already occurred.

And even more concerning, researchers have found that our ability to recognize thirst declines with age. This is can be especially true for the elderly and those who are not as sensitive to the symptoms of dehydration for medical reasons. 

The bottom line is if you're relying only on your body's thirst signals to stay hydrated is not enough. 

Be sure to drink before you're thirsty. Make sure to get in fluids throughout the day and stay on top of your electrolyte intake too.

Make sure you have a water bottle you really like. Set up a timer or use your google or other AI assistant service to give you a take-a-drink reminder throughout your day. 

Also, experiment with healthy ways to make your water taste better without adding sugar, for example, by adding a bit of lemon or other fruit juice in very small amounts. 

What About Drinking Close to Bedtime? 

It's a good idea to taper your fluid intake as you approach bedtime. Part of a great night's sleep is interruption-free-sleep, so you can move through your sleep stages optimally.

As one of the world's leading exercise scientists recently put it in a powerful short thread of tweets:

✔️ Wellness Tips of The Day: 👇

😴💧 "MAJOR sleep mistake:

People know 'hydration is important so they smash water - but it if makes you wake up 3x a night to pee ('nocturia'), you're stepping over a dollar to pick up a penny. 

0 = goal.

1x/night = OK.

>1 = problem.

"More is not better. Precision is better." 👇

_____________________________________

🤔 "How do you fix nocturia?

1. Regulate total water intake. Start at 1/2 your bw in oz of water/day (200 lb = 100 oz water). Titrate from there.

2. Bias intake towards the beginning of the day. Just sip within 3 hr of sleep.

3. Factor salt, food type, exercise, etc. into equation"

___

Tips Quote Source (Twitter/MT): Andy Galpin, Ph.D. (2022) @DrAndyGalpin 

___

By following these basic self-hydration guidelines, you can ensure that you are well-hydrated and avoid any medical issues due to dehydration or too much fluid intake. 

 Time to drink-up?

Hope that helps! Click Here for Online Coaching 

Your Coach David is a former Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapist and Clinical Behavior Consultant turned Certified Stress Management & Sleep Science Coach. He's also an International Sports Science Association (ISSA) Certified Personal Fitness Trainer and Nutritionist.