Health
Smart ways to stay hydrated in the summer months
Discover simple, clever tricks to beat dehydration and keep your body thriving – beyond the water bottle!
By Carolyn Tate
We all know it's important to stay hydrated but sometimes, in the hot Australian summer months, dehydration can still sneak up on us. Staying hydrated isn't just about avoiding thirst – it helps keep your brain sharp, your digestion happy, and your energy levels up throughout the day. In more serious cases, dehydration can lead to kidney or brain damage.
Don’t miss this: How staying hydrated can save your life
But we don’t need to let it get that far. Let's look at some easy ways to keep your fluids up when the temperature rises that go beyond carting around a giant water bottle at all times.
How much should you be drinking?
Men need about 2.8 litres of fluid per day, while women need around 2.1 litres (that's about 8 cups). But there’s no need to get too hung up on exact numbers – you might need more or less depending on how active you are, the weather, whether you've had any alcohol, or if you're feeling under the weather.
Cool ways to stay hydrated
Okay, water can get boring, but we don’t want that to get in the way of you staying hydrated and healthy. Luckily, we have some options.
1. Tech can help
Love your gadgets? Smart water bottles are a game-changer for staying on top of your water intake. Brands like HidrapteSpark connect to your iPhone's Health app to track your drinking and give you friendly reminders throughout the day.
2. Mix it up
Water doesn't have to be boring. Try some clever ways to jazz it up:
● Iced tea: If you're a tea lover in winter, why not switch to iced tea for summer? It's super easy – for green and black teas, brew them as usual, let them cool overnight, then pop them in the fridge. Fruit teas are even easier – you can make them straight away with cold water!
● Ice blocks: Here's a fun way to cool down and hydrate at the same time – electrolyte ice blocks! You can find them at your local chemist or in the medicine aisle at the supermarket but don’t worry, they come in delicious flavours and don’t taste like they came from a pharmacy. Hydralyte's orange flavoured ice blocks from Woolworths are a great option.
● Water but make it fancy: Plain water not your thing? No worries! Try adding sugar-free flavour drops, some fresh lemon or lime slices, berries, or switch to sparkling water. Sometimes a little fizz is all you need to make water more interesting.
● Eat your water: Summer's the perfect time to boost your fluid intake with delicious fruits and veggies. Watermelon, rockmelon, peaches and strawberries are packed with water, and so are cucumbers, lettuce, zucchini, celery and capsicums. Plus, they're extra refreshing when it's hot!
3. Beat the heat
When you're sweating, you're losing both water and important electrolytes. Try to stay cool by:
- Making the most of your air-con or fan
- Treating yourself to a movie at the cinema or spending some time at an indoor shopping centre
- Taking cool showers when you need to refresh
- Making sure your bedroom is nice and cool for sleeping
4. Watch what you drink and eat
Annoying, we know, but if you want to stay hydrated, go easy on the alcohol and coffee. Heavy, protein-rich foods can also make you sweat more, which isn’t ideal if you want to hold onto all the extra fluid you’re busy taking in.
Bonus tip: Don’t wait until you’re thirsty.
The trick is to sip water (or eat ice blocks – no judgement here!) regularly throughout your day, rather than waiting until you're thirsty. Get into a routine where you have a glass of water on the go at all times. Your body will thank you for it!
Feature image: iStock/Goodboy Picture Company
The information on this page is general information and should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Do not use the information found on this page as a substitute for professional health care advice. Any information you find on this page or on external sites which are linked to on this page should be verified with your professional health care provider.
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