How to hydrate
Staying hydrated isn’t difficult — but that doesn’t mean it’s simple. In addition to keeping the water levels in your body tip-top, it’s super important to consider electrolytes like sodium and potassium (especially in the long term).
Don’t worry, though — we’ve got you covered on everything hydration and hydration-adjacent. Here’s your one-stop definitive list of the best ways to hydrate.
1. Drink water
Water comes up a lot in the hydration conversation because hydration is all about making sure your body has enough of it.
Drinking enough water on the reg has a bunch of health benefits. It helps you:
-
-
- have enough blood, since your body uses water to make blood
- have a healthy brain, because your brain is about 73 percent water
- regulate your body temperature, because you can’t sweat properly without enough water
- digest nutrients smoothly, since water’s a crucial ingredient in both saliva and digestive fluids
- develop healthy muscles, since they use water to do what they do
- get a decent night’s sleep, because dehydration can cause leg cramps, dry cough, and loads of other sleep-interrupting issues
- reduce your risk of kidney stones, as water helps you flush out excess minerals via your pee
While it’s not the only way to hydrate, drinking water is the most efficient. It makes sense, doesn’t it? When you’re parched, your body is telling you it needs water. Putting H2O in your mouth is the most direct route.
How to avoid overhydrating
The best way to avoid overhydration is to drink your water at a steady pace. It’s difficult to say exactly how much water is too much, because it varies not only from person to person but also from day to day.
If you’re exercising a lot, you’ll likely need to drink more water than people who don’t exercise as much. Most cases of overhydration involve people who have consumed more than a liter of water in less than an hour.
You’d have to drink a lot to trigger an acute case of water intoxication. Case in point: The first reported death from overhydration occurred in a person in a hospital who received an infusion of 9 liters of water in an hour. You’re unlikely to knock back that amount from a water bottle mid-run.
As with most things, your strongest defenses against overhydration are self-awareness and common sense. Stop drinking water if you experience a sudden onset of any of these symptoms:
-
-
- nausea or vomiting
- headache
- disorientation, confusion, or irritation (any sudden/unexpected changes in mental state)
- muscle cramps or spasms
- seizures
2. Drink sports drinks, juice, or coconut water
Water is important and refreshing. Let’s be honest, though — it’s a little dull. Plus, if you’re drinking plain water, you’re missing out on other nutrients. This is where other refreshing beverages, like sports drinks and fruit juices, come in so darn handy.
Taste benefits aside, there are some advantages to rehydrating with a sports drink, coconut water, fruit juice, or another healthy, noncaffeinated, nonalcoholic beverage — especially if you’re trying to hydrate after exercise.
When you sweat, you don’t only lose water. Sweat also contains vast amounts of electrolytes, with the main three being:
-
-
- sodium
- potassium
- chloride
Sodium is especially important when it comes to hydration because one of its key functions is to regulate fluid levels in your cells and body.
Plain water doesn’t replenish any of these electrolytes.
Many drinks, both natural and human-made, provide essential electrolytes, minerals, and vitamins. Since you also lose those during exercise (especially if you work out often), it’s important to keep your levels topped up.
The exact benefits depend on the drink. Many sports drinks will proudly advertise on the packaging how much sodium or general electrolyte goodness they’ll give you. Pedialyte and Gatorade are two widely available electrolyte-rich sports/medicinal drinks.
On the natural side, some fans of coconut water tout its higher-than-average electrolyte content, but there’s little to no scientific evidence to suggest it’s better for hydration than water or sports drinks.
In a small 2012 study with only 12 participants, researchers found no significant difference in hydration among those who drank coconut water, bottled water, and a typical sports drink after exercise.
3. Sip (a little) coffee or tea!
Caffeine makes you pee lots, so you might technically lose water if you consume a ton of it. But drinking coffee or tea in moderation can be effective for keeping you hydrated.
Research like this small study from 2017 suggests that the levels of caffeine in an average cup of coffee or tea aren’t nearly enough to counteract the fact that the cup is also full of water.
As far as your body is concerned, a cup of hot tea/coffee is just water with a kick. So long as you’re not knocking back espressos all day, there’s no dehydration risk to sipping hot drinks. Your body will still get the hydrational benefits.
4. Eat some fruits and vegetables…
Drinking fluids isn’t the only way to hydrate yourself. Plenty of fruits (and some vegetables) are high in the water and electrolytes you need to keep dehydration at bay.
Spotting fruits and veggies with high water content is easy. They’re the ones that leak a lot when you squash them, including:
-
-
- melon (and watermelon, because obviously)
- cucumber
- orange
- apple
- raspberry
- mango
- kiwi
If it drips when you squeeze it hard, then chances are it’ll quench some thirst.
But remember that electrolytes are also pretty important. Some fruits and veg have a reputation for being hydration boosters, so including them in your diet might optimize your body’s management of H2O levels.
For example, bananas and dates aren’t the juiciest fruits in the store, but they do provide high levels of potassium. And supporting a healthy water balance in your bloodstream is one of the potassium’s many essential functions.
Eating a banana won’t rehydrate you like drinking water will, but including potassium-rich foods like bananas in your diet will ensure you’re getting the most from every glass.
5. …or make them into a smoothie!
The hydration benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables also apply when they’re in smoothie form. Plus, by taking your fresh fruit or veg in liquid form, you can mash the best of Mother Nature together into a single electrolyte-dense, mega-hydrating super smoothie.
The other advantage of smoothies is that you can add supplements such as tablets and powders that boost your electrolyte intake, supporting your long-term hydration. Sure, you can add them to a glass of water. But, you know, boring.
You can find electrolyte supplements in most drugstores, and they’re also available online. Many larger stores also now stock them. Prices vary. And be sure to check the label for exact dosage and prep instructions.
It’s also important to check with a healthcare professional to discuss whether electrolyte supplements are right for you and to get advice on the right type and dosage for you.
The ingredients in your hydrating smoothie are obviously up to you. If you’re not sure where to start, why not try this electrolyte-packing glass of blended blueberry banana goodness?
6. Have some soup
Smoothies aren’t the only straddler of the food/drink fence when it comes to hydration benefits. Soup is also a great hydrator.
There are obviously loads of soups out there. Some will be more hydrating than others, but all are more hydrating than no soup at all. If you want a hearty soup that’s packed full of hydration-enabling electrolytes, why not try the creamy vegan sweet potato soup recipe below?
7. Drink an oral rehydration solution
Oral rehydration solutions are medical products.
Dehydration is a symptom and complication of many health conditions, especially ones that involve excessive sweating, vomiting, urination, or diarrhea.
Healthcare professionals may administer these solutions to people in hospitals or prescribe them for at-home use. Some oral rehydration solutions are available in drugstores, though, and there are also recipes to make them at home.
These solutions are used pretty much exclusively for medical-grade dehydration. If you’re just looking for a way to hydrate after exercise, it’s highly unlikely you’ll need one.
If you find that you can’t stay hydrated without an oral rehydration solution, it’s worth consulting a healthcare pro to find out whether you have an underlying health condition.
