Remember when summers meant a break from the school curriculum, a day at the beach or just bingeing through cartoons?
Well, those simple, easy summer days are far behind us. Now as you battle against the heat, being stuck in metros or buses, the experience takes away all the dreamy connotations of summer and turns into a dehydrating nightmare!
Experts recommend between 13 cups of water, with a minimum of 9 cups for men and 8 cups for women, and more if you perform physical exercises that can lead to dehydration. (1) But, honestly how many cups do you end up drinking in a day?
If your answer doesn’t match the minimum requirement for the day, then we are here to fix that for you by making the rehydration process a little more fun and creative.
What is Dehydration?
Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than it intakes, hindering its ability to function normally as there aren’t enough fluids in the body. It often occurs due to various factors such as excessive sweating, not drinking enough water, vomiting, or diarrhoea.
Body water is generally lost through the lungs, skin, kidneys and GI tract. When the body loses water without sodium it leads to dehydration. (2)
Water is an essential element for several bodily functions such as lubricating joints, bodily processes, body temperatures, removing waste products and transporting nutrients. Dehydration disrupts these processes leading to a greater health risk.
Symptoms of mild dehydration:
- Dry mouth
- Thirst
- Dark yellow urine
- Fatigue
- Dry skin
Symptoms of extreme dehydration:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Muscle cramps
- Increased heart rate
- Fainting
In severe cases, dehydration can also lead to life-threatening complications such as heatstroke, organ failure, and seizures.
The only way to prevent dehydration is to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.
10 Creative ways to increase water intake this summer
1. Infuse it with flavour
If you are someone that always falls behind on the daily hydration goal because flavourless water discourages you from drinking it then infused water can be a game changer for you.
While the options for infusions are limitless some of the most popular choices are cucumber, lemon and berry-infused waters. You can either plop a few in your bottle or you can make a big pitcher of it and keep drinking throughout the day and encourage your loved ones to hydrate too.
Not only do these elements add flavors but they provide extra nutrients like lemon is rich in vitamin C and berries are full of antioxidants.
You can choose any fruit of your choice and let it infuse for a few hours. To make it even more refreshing and crisp you can add ice cubes to it.
2. Set reminders
Are you always on the go? Your schedule is packed with meetings or deadlines to meet which makes it hard for you to remember even basic tasks such as drinking a glass of water.
Then technology is your best friend! If there’s something you will always remember is your phone you can put in reminders after intervals of 30-40 minutes to have a sip or a glass of water.
Eventually, like clockwork, you will develop a habit of drinking water consistently during these intervals.
3. Make it a game
Are you competitive? Then making a game out of this activity will drive you to keep up with your hydration goals.
All you need to do is set up a goal of how much water you want to consume in a day and have your friend join in to see which one of you reaches the goal first.
As you track each other’s process it will motivate you to be on track and stay hydrated.
4. Use a fancy glass or bottle
Fancy and cute water bottles are all the rage right now, get yourself a bottle with adequate capacity somewhere between 500ml to 1000ml.
Bottles with markings on them with time stamps are great motivation or you can get a fancy glass tumbler or quirky bottle to keep the visual appeal and encouragement to stay hydrated through the day.
5. Eat water-rich foods
Some high water content rich foods you can add into your salad bowl for a refreshing and hydrating meal are:
Foods | water content |
cucumber | 95% |
watermelon | 92% |
apple | 86% |
lettuce | 95% |
zucchini | 90% |
spinach | 91% |
broccoli | 90% |
tomato | 95% |
orange | 86% |
6. Herbal tea
Caffeine-free teas are a great way to hydrate while also enjoying the flavours.
A variety of teas such as chamomile and rooibos are not only medicinal but also have a unique taste that makes water more refreshing.
Hibiscus is another popular herbal tea that is enriched with natural electrolyte minerals that can replenish lost fluids and help prevent dehydration.
Stick to caffeine-free herbal teas only to ensure hydration and natural nutrient benefits.
7. Keep a water bottle with you
When leaving home always remember your wallet, phone and water bottle. Whether you are commuting for work, running errands or hitting the gym carrying your water bottle ensures that you’re hydrated at all times.
Especially when you are running errands at noon on a hot summer day, you might feel light-headed or have a headache from losing all your body water through sweat. You can also add ORS to your bottle while out to rehydrate quicker.
8. Use hydration apps
The wonderful world of technology has enabled you to access tools that will make your life more efficient and easier.
There are plenty of apps that have been specifically developed to monitor your water intake, you can set up your goal and track your progress. It also sends you reminders automatically by calculating your last entry of water intake.
You can customise it as per your weight, activity level and climate, factors that can greatly affect your need for water intake.
Choose an app that suits your lifestyle and start your hydration journey.
9. Drink water before meals
A glass of water before your meals is an effective way to not only hydrate but also control your appetite and prevent yourself from overeating.
It is also the easiest way to start incorporating more water intake into your daily routine.
10. Set hourly goals
If you force yourself to drink the required amount within a short period it will become impossible for you to sustainably keep up the habit.
Instead, you can divide the amount of water you need to drink in a day and break it down into smaller, manageable goals.
If you focus on drinking one glass of water every hour then you can reach your hydration goals easily by the end of the day.
Conclusion
While drinking a glass of water may seem the most basic and easiest thing to do, it is amusing how many people still end up with dehydration during summer because they fail to consume the minimum required amount.
However, it’s never too late to start cultivating habits that can help you stay healthy and hydrated. Always remember to drink water and it is okay to make it a little fun by adding flavours, the goal is to ensure you always drink just enough.
FAQs
1. How can I drink more water in summer?
Here are a few quick tips to drink more water:
- Carry your water bottle
- Infuse your water with natural flavours of your choice
- Set reminders in hourly intervals to drink water
- Eat more water-rich foods like watermelons and cucumbers
2. What are creative ways to get enough water?
Here are some fun and creative ways to get enough water this summer:
- Instead of adding fruits directly to your water you can freeze fruits in ice cubes and add them to make it more visually appealing and enhance flavor.
- Set up a water pitcher on your table with colorful cups and fun reusable straws to make it more enticing
- Make it a routine to drink a glass of water before each meal
- Make homemade popsicles with your favourite fruit puree and water to ensure calorie control and hydration.
3. How can I make water more fun to drink?
- Bedazzle your boring old water bottle with stickers of your favourite characters or motivational quotes
- Add flavoured electrolytes to your water to make it more hydrating and tastier
- Make pitchers of infused water with mint, basil or strawberry to encourage everyone to have more water this summer
4. What can I add to water in summer?
Some delicious infused water ideas for summer:
- Green tea, mint and lime
- Strawberry and mint
- Cucumber, lemon and mint
- Watermelon, blueberry, lime and mint
5. What is the most hydrating drink in hot weather?
Water is the most hydrating drink in hot weather, it contains minerals your body needs and doesn’t have any added calories or sugars that will affect your weight.
However, you can have coconut water & fresh fruit juices along with water to keep yourself replenished and refreshed throughout the day.