When someone’s trying to “get healthy” or “stay healthy”, there are some definite clichés that we hear. Eat less move more, get more sleep, and yes, staying hydrated is one of those clichés. And while I’m aware that many people walk around dehydrated most of the time, many of us also don’t understand the importance of drinking water, or what it can really do for you.
The “importance” of hydration
Yes, I’m going to start with the factual boring perspective here. Now, you may have hear somewhere (or everywhere) that we are made up of 70% water (or some other high percentage-different sources say different things), and that’s true. Our blood is basically just water with some different nutrients in it. But it’s not just blood, all our cells have and need water, to exist and function.
It’s for this reason that if you were to look up the importance of hydration from a bunch of different sources, they all list different bodily functions that depend on your hydration. However, one thing they all agree on is that hydration is a basic building block for health and well-being. It affects nearly every single thing that the body needs to do to remain a well-oiled machine.
So in terms of specific things that hydration effects (instead of just vaguely saying “everything!”), we’re looking at things like the ease of which your heart can pump blood through your body. The function of your muscles is effected by hydration levels. It keeps your organs functioning properly, your digestion flowing smoothly, your joints lubricated and even helps you regulate your body temperature. More surprisingly, we find that well-hydrated individuals have an easier time regulating their moods, and experience and increase in cognition! If that’s not a good reason to keep drinking water, I’m not sure what is.
Daily benefits
I wasn’t really taught to keep hydrated back when I was younger. The adults in my life never highlighted it as a priority, for me or themselves. And so I didn’t drink a lot of water, unless I was incredibly thirsty. I didn’t carry a water bottle around, like I do now. And to be honest, I didn’t really think about it that much. All that changed around when I was about 14. I found someone on the internet (probably YouTube) talking about how important it was to drink water and my mind was blown. Around that time I started carrying a water bottle with me pretty much everywhere. By 16, hydration was a big priority for me, and while I was taking more trips to the bathroom than I ever had in my life, it seemed worth it for all of the improvements I was experiencing.
For one, I wasn’t so darn sleepy all the time. My body used to kind of drag one place to the next, which was a symptom of my melancholy personality no doubt, but after staying very hydrated I began to feel more normal energy levels. And my focus was increased too, which was good for school, since I had long been the spacey type during my classes. I was getting better sleep too, but most of all, it just felt better being in my body. Like all of a sudden, it was responding better to the signals my brain was giving it. Call me silly, but hydration was like a newfound superpower.
Fast forward to today, and I admit, my hydration has been slipping a bit. And boy, do I need to get back to it. It’s so easy to let it go away, bit by bit, without realizing it. Because you don’t become dehydrated all at once. But by the time you fall out of the habit, you’re out. And even more so, it’s hard to tell when you’re dehydrated. It’s only once you get re-hydrated (as it were) that you realize how much better you feel.
Why don’t we stay hydrated?
I would venture to say that many of us, if not most, already know how important it is to stay hydrated- or at least that it is important. Water is truly the elixir of life. And yet we don’t prioritize hydration. We spend our days walking around thirsty, tired, and sad. What’s up with that?
Well, beyond the odd nature of self-sabotage and masochism, I have a few ideas. Firstly, it’s just not cool. I know that’s a bad “reason”, but it’s a decent explanation. Most of us don’t want to be “the one with the water bottle”, stopping good times with our loved ones because we have to use the toilet all the time. We’re social animals, and we want social approval. Even if that means that sometimes we’ll be a little worse for the wear.
Not only that, but it’s an effort. You do have to learn how to be hydrated, then find a way to keep up with it and fit it into your lifestyle. This might mean implementing habits you’ve never thought of before, like getting used to carrying a water bottle (which can be heavy and annoying for some) or planning bathroom breaks when at work or out on the town.
I hate water. Do I have to drink it?
I’ve met quite a few people who just can’t stand the taste of water. And the answer is no, technically you don’t have to drink water to stay hydrated. That being said, it is the most efficient way. If you dislike water, you can try drinking other liquids in place of it (try staying away from sugary things). You can also eat foods that have higher water content, like fruits and vegetables, smoothies and soups.
For some people, it’s enough to just add some fruit or vegetables to their water to flavor it. And if you’ve lived in one place for a long time, I would recommend buying some reverse osmosis or distilled water to see if you dislike the taste of that. Some cities have a water supply that is just awful-tasting. But I have known some people who just can’t stand the taste of water, no matter what they try, they dislike it.
Those people, when trying to prioritize hydration, tend to focus on drinking more coffee, tea or milk, and this seems to work pretty well for them. I’ve known a lot of elderly people that really rely on their four cups of tea a day–one at each meal, and one before bed. And that’s great, they’ve found a system that works for them and they’re at least getting a consistent source of liquid. All we can do is try to make these principles work for us and our lives the best we can.
Things that drain our liquids
It’s important to remember too, that it’s not just about what you’re putting in, it’s about what’s coming out. If the weather is hot, or you’ve been exercising, you need to drink more water. The same goes if you have a fever, or have diarrhea or vomiting. If you’re losing more water than usual, then you need to be replacing it somehow.
In these cases too, it’s important to monitor your electrolytes, to make sure you’re keeping those levels steady. Electrolytes play an important role in hydration too, and keeping your body in balance. They include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride. And if you’re sweating or puking them out, even if you’re drinking water, you’re going to be all out of whack.
To stay on top of your electrolyte levels, you can drink some fortified sports drinks, or make sure to have mineral and nutrient rich foods in your diet like nuts and seeds, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and do not keep salt out of you diet entirely. Instead, keep a consistent but moderate intake of salt and you should keep your electrolyte loosely under control. If you are concerned about your electrolyte levels, please go see a doctor.
Bottom Line
Not everyone is going to be a hydration god. But everyone would benefit from keeping their levels up consistently. And maybe being the person with the water bottle isn’t the coolest thing in the world, but the benefits outweigh the small amount of perceived social approval. If you’ve never tried to make your hydration levels a priority, give it a shot and see how your life is improved. What do you really have to lose?
