Hydration is an important factor in everyday life and even more important during physical activity. Drinking the right amount of fluid is essential for allowing your body to perform to the best of its ability and to ensure your body is performing correctly. Drinking water starts even before a workout, during and after. This minimizes the risk of dehydration, overhydration, heat-illness, and injury.
A good way to minimize dehydration and overhydration is to have hydration goals. This includes monitoring your hydration intake every day, as proper hydration varies among individuals. Easy ways to monitor hydration are the color of urine and sweat loss. The color of the first urine of the day should be light or pale yellow. If the color is darker yellow or like apple juice, that means you are not adequately hydrated. A change in body weight before and after exercise is an indication of sweat loss. Most athletes follow a fluid replacement plan to help with hydration status throughout exercise.
Dehydration can occur in both the heat and cold, as well as during any physical activity. There does not need to be any visible sweat. When an athlete or person during a physical activity does not replenish the fluids, they are losing, that’s when dehydration occurs. Hydration before, during, and after exercise or activities is advised to replace fluids and minimize dehydration. Conditions that increase the risk for dehydration include the air temperature, the intensity of the workout, body size and gender, the duration of the workout, and the fitness of the individual.
There are many signs of dehydration which include intense thirst, exhaustion and increased perception of effort, increased body temperature, faster breathing and heart rate, confusion, and fainting. To help decrease dehydration and avoid these signs, it is important to replace fluids during and after exercise. Drinking water is the only way to rehydrate or replace fluid loss and to cool your body.
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