How to Prevent Dehydration During Sports

Dehydration can occur when your body is having lesser fluid than the optimal level. You can get dehydrated when you sweat during an intense sports activity. Sports that require the wearing of helmet can cause you to sweat more. You will start to experience the effect of dehydration when you lose 1-2% of the fluid in your body. Some of the symptoms of dehydration are headache, nausea, and heartburn. The amount of fluid you will lose depends on the intensity of the sports and energy level.

Water and Sports Drinks

To avoid dehydration during sports, you should drink lots of water. During the hot summer day, you can drink water to cool down your body. As a rule of thumb, you should not wait until you get thirsty to drink water. It is wrong to only drink water during the sports activities. If you did not drink enough water, you can get dehydrated and faint during the sports activity. It is recommended that you drink at least 2 cups of water about 2-3 hours before carrying out sports activities.

It is equally important to drink water during the period when you carry out the sports activities. You should compensate the fluid loss in your body by drinking 3 cups of water for every pound you shed. It is best to start drinking water as soon as your body starts to sweat. Children should drink even more water as they are more susceptible to dehydration. Children who are involved in a sports activity should drink water every 20 minutes.

You can also take regular sports drink during the sports activity. Regular sports drinks contain glucose which can prevent hypoglycemia. Plain water is fine for shorter sports activity that last for about one hour. Sports drinks are suitable for people who involved in longer sports activities that last for more than 2 hours.

Sports Dehydration Prevention Tips

Your diet can affect the hydration level of your body. Alcohol and caffeinated drinks should be avoided as they can increase the chances of getting dehydrated. It is advised that you don’t take salt tablet. If you need to replenish the minerals you lose through sweating, you can try adding food that contains those minerals in your diet. You should avoid eating a high protein diet to avoid getting dehydrated easily.

To avoid sweating a lot, you can perform the sports activity at a time when the weather is not so hot. For example, you can perform the sports activity in the morning as the sun is not very hot at this time. The sun is the hottest in the afternoon from 11 AM – 3 PM.

You can check the hydration level of your body by checking the color of your urine. If you are well hydrated, the color of the urine is pale yellow. The urine will be dark yellow if you are suffering from dehydration.

If you become uncomfortable, you should immediately stop the sports activity and go to a cool spot. You can use the extra clothes you are wearing to prop your feet. Wearing lightweight clothing will make you feel cooler when you are carrying out a sports activity outdoor. Rubber jacket should be avoided when you exercise outdoors as it will increase the temperature and make you sweat more.