Water is an essential building block of our bodies, lubricating our eyes and joints, helping our digestive systems do their job, keeping skin healthy and plump, and aiding in the kidney’s quest to get rid of waste. It’s therefore no surprise that staying hydrated is important at any time of the year, but is especially crucial in the summer months, when sweat drains the body of water at a much faster rate. So here are three easy ways to improve your body’s hydration levels.
#1. Drink water that’s at room temperature: Don’t get us wrong; nothing hits quite like a glass of ice-cold water when it’s hot. Even so, the science actually shows that the body takes longer to absorb cold water, as it has to bring it up to body temperature first, causing you to heat up. So keep a bottle of water out of the fridge and drink that!
#2. Don’t drink at mealtimes: This may come as a surprise, but drinking while eating can actually cause you to get dehydrated later on. This is due to the digestive juices becoming too diluted. Instead, drink plenty of water in-between meals, and then give yourself a half-an-hour break from drinking before eating and an hour’s break after.
#3. Add electrolytes: Water on its own is simply not enough to feel and actually be hydrated. When we sweat, consume alcohol or coffee, or don’t eat enough carbohydrates, our body starts experiencing an imbalance in minerals. Adding electrolytes to your diet—by taking a supplement that has a mix of calcium, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium—can help make you feel much more hydrated.
