Its not always that easy to know what rules to follow when it comes to hydration as there is so much out there. Drink every 20 minutes, drink if your pee is dark, drink less more often, but not too much or you will get hyponatremia! In reality the hydration rules and how to apply them to you as an individual vary, depending on where you are (Climate) and what you’re doing in regards to activity.
The goal, of course, is to always be ahead of the hydration curve in the first place – Prevention is better than cure after all, right ? If you know that you are going to be active, working out, running the spartan race or working outside the next day then start the fluid intake the night before. Yeah, it may include an extra bathroom visit but im sure you will get over it!
Thirst will always be your best indicator of your current hydration level, but the best practice is not to get to this level in the first place. When and where possible try and have your fluids prepared in advance for the day ahead. That way you will always have something to hand. Water bottles, cooler box or backpack hydration system, what ever it is, have it prepped. Its not just water either, think about some electrolytes or flavored water to make it less of a chore. Be cognitive of operational temperatures, such as the cold and humidity as they can often impact hydration.
If you start to feel, or if you spot a team member displaying the signs and symptoms of dehydration then DO NOT HESITATE, seek medical attention as soon as possible:
The body is predominantly made up of water, so in order for it to perform effectively it needs to maintain adequate levels within the system. Many articles highlight the 8×8 rule which is a good place to start. 8oz glasses of fluid drank 8 times (approx 2 litters) per day give you a base line hydration level. if you activity level goes up then so should your water intake.
Stay Hydrated !
