7 Tips to Keep Yourself Hydrated in the Winter

Water is an essential element in any living thing’s life. And when it comes to human beings, it is vital for various functions taking place in the body.

From the brain to the bones of your tiniest toe, everything in your body needs water to keep working smoothly.

So, it is very important for a person to always stay well-hydrated.

Since temperatures can get quite high during the summer season, people tend to drink more water in that season.

And during winters, when the weather is cold, people end up drinking much less water than the daily-requirement.

The lack of water consumption causes winter dehydration. Which in turn leads to various health complications.

If you’ve been wondering how to keep yourself hydrated during winter, then go through the following tips.

1. Eat foods that help with hydration.

Water is not the only thing that helps you stay hydrated. There are numerous foods that contain a lot of water.

You need to consume fruits and vegetables with high-water content so that your body receives the required amount of water.

Make sure that you include foods like tomatoes, celery, oats, spinach, capsicum, strawberry, grapefruit, cauliflower, lettuce, pineapple, orange, carrots and cucumber in your regular diet.  

2. Drink warm water instead of cold water.

One of the best ways to keep yourself hydrated in the winter is by drinking warm water. If you don’t like warm water, lukewarm water would also work.

Cold water is absorbed by the body faster. So, it is processed and flushed out faster as well.

Drinking warm water in cold weather has numerous other health benefits as well. Warm water aids digestion, blood circulation, and metabolism.

Warm water helps in getting rid of toxins. It also keeps the skin smooth and supple.

3. Dress-up in layers instead of wearing one heavy coat.

Usually, when tips to keep yourself hydrated in the winter are being shared, the kind of clothes we wear are almost never on the agenda.

However, it is one of the most clever ways to avoid winter dehydration.

A hefty coat or a sweater would make you sweat more causing dehydration.

It is best to wear many layers of clothes made out of breathable fabric instead of one heavy coat or a thick sweater.

You can also wear a light sweater and put on another light coat while stepping outside.

4. Set a water-drinking goal.

Sometimes, people simply forget to drink water. It happens even more during the winter season as we don’t get thirsty that often.

This is why it is important for you to set a water-drinking goal.

Studies have found that humans need to drink 2 litres of water everyday for them to stay well-hydrated.

And if you’re not consuming enough water, you can set up reminders. You can also use apps that help in tracking water consumption.  

5. Hydrate your body after a work-out session.

You lose fluids from your body in the form of sweat during a work-out session. It causes dehydration.

So, after working out, drink plenty of water in order to replenish the fluids you lose.

Also, the amount of liquids you consume should match your activity level. If you’ve been exercising for an hour, only water should suffice.

If you exercise for much longer than that, then you might need a sports drink with electrolyte supplements.

6. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol.

Caffeine and alcohol are diuretic. These types of drinks make the kidneys produce more urine.

As a result, you need to urinate more often and this leads to dehydration.

To make sure that this does not happen to you on a regular basis, you need to cut back on caffeine and alcohol.

If you find it hard to do so, you should increase your water intake in order to replenish all the lost fluids.

7. Limit the consumption of processed food.

Most processed foods have very low water content. Consuming these foods often causes dehydration.

Breakfast cereals, ice-cream, mass-produced breads, cookies and canned foods are some of the processed foods that are consumed by millions of people around the world.

Another reason why you should avoid processed food is that it is high in sodium.

Sodium increases the shelf-life of the processed food but causes dehydration in the body of the person who consumes it.

Now that you’ve learnt how to stay hydrated during winter, you can protect yourself against winter dehydration.