Should You Drink Extra Water on a Hot Day?

Hot Day? You Need to Drink More Water Than Usual

The past few days have been the hottest of the year so far. With the temperature rising, your body with be sweating more as a method of cooling yourself down. As such, you’re going to need to make sure to stay hydrated! But, how much water do you actually need to drink on a hot day?

Normally throughout the day, you should drink between 6-8 glasses of water. However, if you feel parched or dehydrated, listen to your body. If you feel thirsty, have a headache, or feel fatigued, this may be your body telling you that you need more. In the heat, it’s normal to feel like you need to drink more than usual. If you start experience uncomfortable symptoms such as headaches etc. though, you’re probably dehydrated.

Water is crucial for bodily functions. It replenishes your cells, flushes out toxins and keeps your body temperature regulated. The 6-8 glasses recommended usually is more when it’s hot outside though. Our bodies are made up of nearly 60% water, so it’s essential to human function to keep that the same, no matter what the weather. Dehydration can have serious consequences, and can even lead to death if ignored.

Sweating, breathing and urinating are the 3 main ways your body loses water. On a hot day, you sweat more, meaning you lose more water through your skin. Sweating is the body’s way of maintaining your body temperature, and although it can be annoying to feel all sweaty in the sun, it’s actually just your body keeping you safe! The hotter and sweatier you are, the more you need to drink! If you lose just 2% of your body’s total water, you’re officially dehydrated. If you let this happen – say hello to headaches, faintness, and fatigue.

To compensate for the water lost through sweating on a hot day, you should up your daily intake to 10 glasses of water. Drink regularly throughout the day, especially when you’re in direct sunlight. A good idea is buying a refillable bottle and ensuring you drink 3/4 whole bottles. You might need the toilet more, but your body will be hydrated and happy.

Avoid becoming dehydrated in the sun by avoiding coffee and alcohol. Both of these are diuretics, which means you’ll need to urinate more frequently. Urinating will rid your body of the vital water it needs to stay hydrated. Similarly, if you’re exercising in the heat, make sure to drink plenty of water. When exercising, however, your body also loses electrolytes through sweat, and not just water. In order to make sure you don’t over-dilute your blood, you’ll need to drink a sports drink with added electrolytes to stay safe.

When working, make sure you keep topping up your water bottle from your Billi tap. Offices can get hot and stuffy, so ensure you stay hydrated to keep working hard. We know it’s hard to stay motivated when the sun is shining, but keep yourself hydrated and that’ll increase your productivity and brain power!