Summer workouts can cause you to perspire and that can lead to dehydration if you’re not careful. Dehydration can be particularly worrisome for seniors, since seniors dehydrate faster. Their body composition changes with age, and they have less fluid in their system than children and younger adults. If you’re working out in the summer, you also face the risk of dehydration, not because of your body composition but because you’re sweating more.
Dehydration can cause serious problems, no matter what your age.
Dehydration isn’t like starving. You can live up to three weeks without food, but you can only go three days without water. If you’ve ever watched survival programs, usually finding water and building a fire to sterilize that water is a top priority for that reason. Dehydration can cause headaches, high blood pressure and low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting and confusion. In fact, in seniors, even mild dehydration can be mistaken for dementia.
Drink water before you workout.
Unless you’re sweating profusely, you don’t need a fancy sports drink with electrolyte replacement. Water can be just as effective. Drink water before you workout, sip on it during your workout and drink more after you’ve finished your workout. Your body is between 50 and 75 percent fluid and dehydration can affect all parts of the body from mental functioning to achy joints. It even aids digestion and lack of fluid can cause nausea.
Drinking more water may be just what you need.
One of the best low calorie drinks is water. If you don’t like the taste, infuse it with fruit to give it a light flavor. Most people don’t drink enough water to be their best. It’s important to circulation and blood volume, prevents achy joints, boosts your energy level, improves oral hygiene, aids digestion and can even help mental functioning. The human body is between 50-75% water, depending on several factors.
Besides drinking more water, there are other things you can do.
If you’re having a pre or post workout snack, include fruits and vegetables with a high water content, like watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes or celery. Avoid drinks with caffeine, such as soft drinks and coffee. Instead, opt for plain water or infused water, which is water that’s been flavored by putting in fruits or vegetables for enough time to leave a flavor. Set a reminder on your phone to alert you to sip water every five minutes to help establish a habit of sipping it.
- Avoid drinks with added sugar, especially if you’re exercising for weight loss. Sugar causes the water to be forced out of the cells. Alcohol also dehydrates you, so avoid it right before and after you workout.
- If you start to feel exhausted or sleepy, stop working out and immediately rehydrate. Dehydration can cause you to feel lethargic. Don’t guzzle the water but sip on it until you feel more energetic.
- How do you know you’re dehydrated? The answer is simple. Your urine is a dark straw yellow color. Also, when you pinch your skin, it doesn’t snap back to normal quickly.
- Bad breath, sugar cravings, a swollen tongue and even a dry mouth are signs of dehydration. If you’re working out with a partner, check each other’s eyes for signs of dehydration. The eyes will look sunken.
For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness Studio