How to prevent or cure dehydration

Most people don't know the proper way to keep hydrated. It's not as simple as drinking more before or after you do something that makes you sweat. Luckily the real solution is just as easy.

Instructions

• 1

  The best way to cure dehydration is to prevent it by giving yourself a head start. So imagine you're about to do something physically demanding outdoors in the summer so you know you're going to be sweating like crazy. Guzzling down a whole bunch of water before you go is not as good of an idea as it seems. You'll pretty much just have to go to the bathroom soon after you get out there. Your body isn't like a gas tank. It can only absorb a certain amount of water at a time and the amount differs between people but the magic rate seems to be about 5 ounces every 15 minutes. So let's say you have to go play football outside at 4:00. Starting at about 3:00 you'll want to drink 5 ounces of water every 15 minutes. That will give you a large head start on hydrating. A typical disposable kitchen cup is exactly 5 ounces and a bathroom cup is around 4.

• 2

  Another thing to remember is that any drinks with any additives need additional time to digest. For instance, the sugar in soda or even Gatorade has to be absorbed into your bloodstream. This tends to make your body immediately get rid of the water so it can work on the sugar. If you drink plain old water, you'll be fine. Plus sugar will make you really hyper then really tired whenever doing something physical and caffeine is horrible for keeping a proper heart rate so stay away from soda and energy drinks.

• 3

  Once you're actually out and about doing whatever it is you need to do, wait a half to a full hour before starting drinking again so the previous water has time to get into your system. Once you've been really sweating hard for a while, which typically is around half to full hour, start drinking 5 or more ounces of water every 30 or so minutes. Do not wait until you feel thirsty because that is a poor indicator of hydration. Being thirsty means you've been dehydrated for quite a while already. Try not to drink too much water too often or you'll feel sluggish and possibly nauseated.

• 4

  After you're done, continue to drink 5 ounces of water every 15 minutes for about 30 more minutes. If you feel thirsty later, continue drinking it even longer because that means you didn't get enough. At this point you should be able to switch over to Gatorade without having to worry about the sugar messing with your performance. It's a good idea to drink something like that which contains electrolytes which you lose when you sweat.