Our body is approximately 70% water with every cell in the body containing water. This is why it is essential to be regularly consuming water daily. Some of the reasons people do not consume water are too busy, they go to the bathroom too much, they aren’t thirsty or they just forget. There are simple solutions to these problems!
Water assists in many functions throughout our body which include:
- Transportation of nutrients
- Cushioning joints (lowering pain)
- Maintaining cell health
- Marinating body temperature
- Playing an active role in chemical reactions within the body
Our body essentially must be kept in water balance. We must balance the water lost with the water we take in. Our body naturally loses fluids through urination, sweating and even through the lungs. On extremely hot days the loss of water through sweat may be more extreme depending on the heat level. It is recommended as a minimum that a person consumes 1L of water for every 30 kilograms of bodyweight. On top of that in circumstances of extreme water loss (such as during heat) it is recommend to have an extra 500mL per hour if sweating profusely.
There are also fluids we consume we can dehydrate the body. Coffee, alcohol and even excess amounts of tea can lead to dehydration. A standard cup of coffee has the ability to dehydrate you by 2 cups of water or approximately 500mL!
When the body becomes dehydrated, usually a person will notice an increase in stress. This is usually due to the cortisol release during the dehydration period. Cortisol is our body’s stress hormone. If this hormone is constantly on the release it will be particularly hard for our bodies to relax or even sleep at night.
Signs of dehydration are often easy to realise and they include:
- Dry mouth
- Dark urine
- Rarely going to the bathroom
- Regular headaches
- Increase in stress levels
- Change in blood pressure