10 Tips for Proper Hydration for Athletes: Common Causes & Signs You Should Go to the ER
Proper hydration plays a major role in the general health of our bodies, especially when you take into account that water makes up roughly up to 60% of our bodyweight. Every function in our body requires water and fluids to be able to function properly from our muscles to the skin to the various organs in our body including the heart and the brain. This is why dehydration can have such serious consequences, especially severe dehydration, which is potentially life-threatening and requires a visit to the ER, such as the excellent frontlineer.com. This is why it is very important to stay properly dehydrated, especially for athletes who tend to lose a lot of water from their physical activities through sweating especially. To that end, this article will look to highlight 10 tips for proper hydration as far as athletes are concerned.
While the recommended amount of water one should drink per day is eight, eight-ounce glasses of water, athletes, due to the physical activities involved, should take in more water. A tip for athletes as far as proper dehydration goes is ensuring one hydrates before, during and after practice or the game. This ensures that you replenish any water and fluids you lose during the physical exhaustion through sweating and are able to prevent dehydration.
Another tip for proper hydration as far as athletes are concerned is ensuring that you don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water. You should be taking in water as you exercise since if you wait until you feel thirsty, it means that you have already lost a couple of cups, or more, of your body water. Therefore, don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water.
Another tip that will ensure you are properly hydrated as an athlete is ensuring you establish fluid breaks when in practice or during the game. The subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com recommend that one should try and drink some 4 to 8 ounces of fluids every 15-20 minutes of activity so as to help replace lost fluid and prevent dehydration.
Yet another tip we have for you as far as proper hydration for athletes is concerned is ensuring that you take a sports drink if your practice session or match will last for 60 minutes or more. This is the best option in such scenarios as opposed to water as sports drinks will help you replace important electrolytes in your body, which will have been lost during the prolonged activity. T is recommended that you look for a sports drink with sodium, potassium as well as carbohydrates in it.
As an athlete, another tip that you should make use of, one that will help you as far as proper hydration goes is coming up with, and following a hydration plan. You should know how your day is going to be in terms of practice hours and if you have a game coming and should therefore come up with a plan that will help you take in water all through the day. Ensure you follow your plan, and adjust it accordingly if need arises for the best results.
The next tip we have for you as far as proper hydration for athletes goes is ensuring that your monitor your fluid loss after activity. You should try to weigh yourself before and after practice or the game, and if you notice loss in body weight, then it indicates that you have lost water and you need to replace it. The gurus over at frontlineer.com recommend that for every pound you lose, you should try to replace it with 20-24 ounces of water, or a sports drink. This should be done within 2 hours of the activity ending.
Another tip as far as proper hydration for athletes goes is trying to incorporate fruits like watermelons, strawberries, grapefruits among others to your hydration plan. This is because such foods are rich in water making them a great ally when it comes to proper hydration. Taking such foods before practice or the game as a snack or even during activity should be great as far as your hydration goes.
As an athlete, another tip we have for you as far as proper hydration goes is ensuring that you watch out for signs of dehydration during activity, be it a game or practice. If you note a decline in coordination, decreased energy, muscle fatigue, muscle cramps among others, then this should indicate that you need to take a water break and take in fluids.
You should also be aware of the dangers of drinking too much water during activity. This, as per the experts over at frontlineer.com, can lead to a condition known as hyponatremia, and can lead to low sodium levels in the body. You should talk to your doctor so that you can establish the right amount you need to drink during activity.
You should also invest in a reusable water bottle as an athlete for proper dehydration. These bottles are safer to use as opposed to plastic bottles and will also help you hydrate consistently throughout the day.
Remember, if you are experiencing symptoms of severe dehydration such as mental confusion, weakness, loss of consciousness as well as seizures, flushed skin among others after or during activity, then these are signs that you need to head over to the ER as soon as possible, with frontlineer.com being one of the best places to visit.
