Summer is a great time to relax and enjoy the outdoors. However, between the heat and the humidity, it’s easy to become dehydrated without even realizing it.
In this blog post, we will discuss 5 benefits of hydration and how you can make sure you’re getting enough water during the summer. You’ll also learn about how much water you should drink and which activities you should drink extra water for. That way you can enjoy the warm weather all summer long.
Energy & Mood
The first benefit of hydration is that it helps you have more energy. When you’re dehydrated, your body doesn’t function as efficiently and you may feel tired or sluggish. However, when you drink enough water, your body will have the fluids it needs to function properly and you’ll have more energy.
Hydration can also help to improve your mood. When you’re dehydrated, your body isn’t functioning as well and you may feel irritable or anxious. However, when you drink enough water, your body will be able to function at its best, which will likely increase your mood.
Regulating Your Body
Another benefit of hydration is that it helps your body regulate itself. When you sweat, your body is trying to cool itself down. If you don’t replace the fluids that you’re losing, your body will have a harder time regulating its temperature and you may end up experiencing heat exhaustion or even heat stroke.
Staying hydrated can also help your heart pump blood. When you’re dehydrated, your blood becomes thicker and your heart has to work harder to pump it through your body. This can lead to an increased risk of heart disease.
In addition, hydration can help to prevent headaches. When you’re dehydrated, your brain doesn’t have enough fluid and it can contract. When it shrinks like this, it pulls away from the skull, causing discomfort and pain. Drinking enough water can help to avoid dehydration-related headaches.
Hydrating While Active and Sedentary
During the summer, many people like to stay physically active. Activities like swimming and hiking can work up a sweat. But many people don’t realize that sedentary activities also need you to stay hydrated too.
For example, relaxing activities like getting a massage can affect hydration. Massage therapy stimulates circulation in the body which in turn can deplete muscles of water. Feeling sick after a massage can result from not drinking enough water before and after a session. By drinking water after a massage, you can rehydrate the same way you would after exercising.
So How Much Water Should I Drink?
To calculate how much water you need to drink, take your body weight in pounds and divide it by two. This is the number of ounces of water you should drink. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink 80 ounces of water every day.
We are often asked: “How much water should I drink after a massage?” While the amount of water doesn’t necessarily matter, the takeaway is to drink enough water on a daily basis. We also recommend that clients drink water both before and after their massage.
3 Ways You Can Help Stay Hydrated this Summer
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of hydration, let’s talk about how you can stay hydrated this summer.
- Taking a refillable water bottle with you when you leave the house can be a great way to start. This will naturally remind you to drink throughout the day.
- Eat foods that are high in water content. Some good options include watermelon, cucumber, and tomatoes. You can also make yourself some homemade fruit or vegetable juice to ensure that you’re getting enough fluids.
- Avoid dehydrating beverages like alcohol and caffeine. If you are going to drink alcohol, be sure to drink plenty of water in between drinks. And, if you’re going to drink caffeine, be sure to limit yourself to one or two cups of coffee or tea per day.
Now that you know different ways you can keep yourself hydrated this summer, you can book your next massage with ease. Schedule your next appointment with Vinings Massage and Wellness today and have a happy and healthy summer!
