Hydration is Crucial for You to Getaway Well
Did you know that your body is 60% water? It’s true!
Going on travel adventures is one of the great joys in life, but when you’re out having fun, you might not be thinking about the other parts of life that you shouldn’t put on the backburner.
Things like maintaining a morning fitness routine, and having active rest days when you need a day off shouldn’t be forgotten when you’re traveling.
With so much of our bodies made up of water, there are plenty of reasons why it is important to stay hydrated on vacation. To help you Getaway Well, we’ve put together some tips for staying hydrated in the summer, while you’re out making memories.
Before we jump into our tips for staying hydrated in the summer, let’s talk about a few of the reasons why it is important to stay hydrated.
Why Is It Important to Stay Hydrated on Vacation?
Moving around a lot while we’re exploring or adventuring does have impacts on our bodies that we can’t see. Staying hydrated keeps our joints lubricated so that we’re less likely to experience injuries while performing strenuous physical activities.
We also tend to heat up when we’re burning a lot of calories, and staying hydrated helps to regulate your body temperature. This means, there’s less chance that you’ll overheat and have to take unwanted breaks from all the fun things you’re doing.
In addition to these things, water helps our bodies deliver nutrients to our cells. When you’ve taken the time to plan non-refrigerated healthy snacks, you need to stay hydrated so that your body can make the most of your smart dietary choices.
7 Vacation Tips for Staying Hydrated in the Summer
Now that you understand just a few of the reasons why it is important to stay hydrated, we’ve got some useful tips for staying hydrated in the summer that you can incorporate into your next warm-weather adventure.
1.) Make Hydrating a Habit
Stop treating hydration like a chore that you just want to get off your to-do list.
Instead, embrace drinking water as a normal, healthy, enjoyable habit that you can incorporate regularly throughout your daily routine.
Set hydration milestones for yourself, including how much water you want to drink throughout each day. Consider getting yourself a measured water bottle, so that you can actively track exactly how much water you’re taking in at each ‘refreshing’ session.
These bottles are a fantastic way to start tracking your overall water consumption throughout the day, as well as setting achievable goals that you can track as you go.
2.) Drinking the Right Amount for Your Body
Just like our caloric intake, each person has a specific amount of water that they should be trying to consume each day. However, it varies from men to women.
According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, men should drink 3.7 liters of fluids a day (15.5 cups), and women should drink 2.7 liters a day (11.5 cups).
This figure doesn’t just represent water, though. It also represents fluids from other types of drinks, as well as natural fluids that we take in from the foods we eat.
One old piece of advice that’s still commonly shared is to try and drink 8 glasses of water per day. The number may not be exact, but it’s easy to remember. It’s also often a lot more than most people are drinking each day, which still makes it an improvement.
3.) Buy Water Flavor Enhancers
If you’ve never tried adding flavoring to your water, we have some great news for you.
Over the last few years, adding flavor to water (instead of purchasing high-sugar sodas or carbonated beverages) has become a popular trend. So much so that there are now dozens of companies, selling almost any type of flavor that you could imagine.
The type and flavor you’d prefer depend on what types of flavors you enjoy the most, but we’d recommend finding brands that use aspartame or stevia as their sweeteners. These alternatives to sugar are much better for you than taking in excessive amounts of sugar.
4.) Eat Hydrating Fruits & Veggies
Of all of our tips for staying hydrated in the summer, this might be our favorite.
All you have to do is ensure that anytime you’re going out on an adventure, you pack fruits and vegetables that are high in natural fluids. This way, you’ll be hydrating every time you stop to enjoy a snack.
Some of the best fruits and veggies to assist with staying hydrated include:
- Watermelon (one of the absolute best – and most delicious)
- Strawberries
- Oranges
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Cantaloupe
- Bell Peppers
- Honey Dew
- Cauliflower
- Zucchini
- Grapefruit
- Cucumber
- Peaches
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
5.) Get Comfy in the Shade
One of the best ways to stay hydrated is to cut back on how much you’re sweating when you’re spending time outside in the heat.
The easiest way to do this (and perfect for taking a break on long hikes or between outdoor fitness games) is to grab a spot under a tree and enjoy the shade.
Giving your body temperature a chance to regulate will cut back on how much you’re sweating. Cutting back on sweating means that you won’t have to take in as many new fluids to remain hydrated.
6.) Take a Cool Dip
If you’re spending time at the cottage, camping by a lake, or staying at a hotel with a swimming pool, odds are you’ll have the ability to have a swim when you’re feeling overheated.
Not only does swimming allow your body to quickly readjust its temperature to cooler levels, but swimming in non-chlorinated water is good for helping your skin to remain hydrated as well.
We can be so focused on making sure we’re using the best natural sunscreens that we don’t realize the product is making our skin dry or oily.
Taking a dip is like a fresh start for your skin. You’ll end up washing away some of the excess residues from your sunscreen, which gives your skin a chance to rehydrate naturally.
7.) Dress for the Weather
Fashion is fine, but comfort should always take precedence when you’re trying to stay hydrated.
There are a lot of potential weather situations that you should plan for when you’re packing for a summer adventure (rain, wind, extreme heat, etc.), but the clothes you choose to wear should come at the cost of comfort.
Wearing too many clothes when it’s hot is a great way to drive your body temperature up and cause unnecessary or excessive sweating. In turn, this helps dehydrate you more quickly, making it harder to stay properly hydrated.
On hot days, skip the jeans and wear shorts instead. It’s great to have a sweatshirt around if you need it, but don’t put it on until the temperature starts to cool down at night.
Dress tactfully, and you’ll have a much easier time staying comfortable and staying hydrated.
Don’t Let Hydration Become an Afterthought
Staying Hydrated is Necessary to Getaway Well
As you can see, it doesn’t take a lot of extra planning or effort to make sure that you’re keeping hydration in mind throughout your adventures.
Make staying hydrated into a game for yourself and your loved ones. Set achievable hydration goals and track your results. Remember that your wellbeing is a priority, and hydration is crucial to maintaining good health.
Start incorporating these tips for staying hydrated in the summer, and there’s no doubt that you’ll be able to Getaway Well on your next vacation.