{"id":18687,"date":"2024-07-09T16:02:38","date_gmt":"2024-07-09T21:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=18687"},"modified":"2024-07-09T16:08:19","modified_gmt":"2024-07-09T21:08:19","slug":"how-to-drink-more-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/how-to-drink-more-water\/","title":{"rendered":"5 tips for staying hydrated"},"content":{"rendered":"

Keeping your body hydrated helps your body get and stay healthy. In fact, you need to stay hydrated for your body to function.<\/p>\n

\u201cStaying hydrated is important for many reasons, including protecting our organs, increasing energy, boosting our immune system and preventing headaches and constipation,\u201d said Hope Quilling, a dietetic intern at OSF HealthCare.<\/p>\n

When you think of hydrating, you probably think about things like how much water you should drink a day. But you can stay hydrated by doing more than drinking water.<\/p>\n

Staying hydrated<\/h2>\n

1. Drink more water<\/h3>\n

The simple fix to staying hydrated is to drink more water. But you can stay hydrated in other ways, too.<\/p>\n

Milk and tea are other options to drink. Milk is especially good<\/a> for rehydration because it contains vitamins and minerals that help refresh your cells. Even sparkling water can rehydrate you.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, it\u2019s important to look at the nutrition label and ingredients list of sparkling waters as some may contain caffeine and added sugars, which may be something we want to limit,\u201d Hope said.<\/p>\n

Black coffee<\/a> is another option, but in moderation.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee contains caffeine which means it increases the production of urine. Most research suggests that when you drink it in moderation \u2013 about 1 or 2 eight-ounce cups of brewed coffee \u2013 the liquid balances the dehydration effect,\u201d Hope said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re drinking more than 3-4 eight-ounce cups of coffee, you may become dehydrated due to the diuretic effect from the caffeine.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Eat water-rich foods<\/h3>\n

Fruits and vegetables<\/a> are high in water. Choose foods like lettuce, cabbage, watermelon, berries, pineapple, spinach, zucchini, celery and cucumbers. However, this is not enough to meet your daily fluid needs, so you still need to drink water, Hope said.<\/p>\n

3. Apply sunscreen to skin<\/h3>\n

The sun zaps your skin of hydration and dries you out. The more you can protect your skin, the better hydrated you\u2019ll stay.<\/p>\n

4. Add electrolytes to your water<\/h3>\n

Electrolytes work with your cells to help balance the fluid in your system. When you work out, run, play sports, or spend a day out in the sun, you are likely to sweat out more fluid. Electrolyte drinks, like Gatorade, Prime hydration drink and Liquid I.V. Hydration, can help to replenish the fluid in your body. However, these drinks are usually high in sugar, so you should limit drinking them to when you need to replenish fluid after sweating.<\/p>\n

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Want more hydration tips?<\/p>\n

Find a primary care provider<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

5. Avoid alcohol, soda and sugary drinks<\/h3>\n

These kinds of drinks can dehydrate you quickly. That\u2019s why you may crave water or have a dry mouth the morning after drinking alcohol<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re experiencing a stomach bug or other illness and can\u2019t keep liquids or food down, you can try to eat popsicles or ice chips.<\/p>\n

It usually takes about 15 minutes to an hour for your body to absorb the liquid and rehydrate.<\/p>\n

How much water should you drink a day?<\/h2>\n

Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated. You want to make sure that you\u2019re drinking enough water a day, while not drinking too much water.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to measure exactly how much water you\u2019re drinking. If you feel good and hydrated, you should be OK. The best way to measure how much water you should drink is to drink when you\u2019re thirsty. If you\u2019re thirsty, you know your body needs some water.<\/p>\n

\u201cA general goal for how much fluid to consume in a day is nine cups for women and 13 cups for men,\u201d Hope said.<\/p>\n

An average water bottle is 16 ounces, which is two cups. So to get a good amount of water, you would drink about five to eight water bottles a day.<\/p>\n

How to drink more water<\/h2>\n

If you aren\u2019t in a good habit of drinking enough water each day, these tips may help you to establish a good routine of drinking more water.<\/p>\n