By: Andy Chen
Water is often called one of the building blocks of life — so it should be obvious that staying hydrated is a pertinent part of our daily lives.
However, according to DripDrop.com, over 75 percent of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration, increasing their risk of fatigue, various diseases and severe weight fluctuations.
With that being said, how should you go about hydrating yourself — and how do you know if you’re even dehydrated in the first place?
Common indicators of dehydration include fatigue, a dry mouth, thirst, headaches and relatively dark urine. Some normally healthy activities, like exercising in high intensity — especially in hot weather — increase your risk of dehydration, so be sure to balance those activities with short water breaks.
In order to increase your water consumption throughout the day, it may be worthwhile to start using a large water bottle that you can fill at the beginning of the day, minimizing the amount of times you have to refill the bottle and allowing you to drink water whenever and wherever you are. Additionally, get into the habit of drinking water before and after meals and workouts.
Keep in mind that other foods and drinks can help you stay hydrated. Fruits, milk, tea, and even caffeinated drinks all contain significant levels of water, although it’s best to avoid drinking too many caffeinated or sports drinks.
It’s easy to overlook drinking water. Many people may simply think that “missing just one cup won’t kill me”. Despite that, staying hydrated is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle in the long run.
