It’s easy to remember the importance of hydration in the summer. Hot and sunny days can come to an end quickly with sun sickness, exhaustion, and dehydration.
Drinking a glass of cold water in the middle of a hot summer day feels refreshing and intuitive, but drinking a glass of cold water in the middle of a frigid winter day? Not so much.
But our hydration needs do not change month to month or season to season. Hydration matters year round, even (and maybe especially) in the season we think about it the least: winter.
Why Hydration Matters
Drinking enough water every day, no matter the season, is critical for the way our bodies function. Our bodies need to stay hydrated for reasons that include:
- Regulating body temperature
- Keeping joints lubricated
- Preventing infections
- Delivering nutrients to cells
- Keeping our organs functioning properly
- Improving sleep qualify
- Improving cognition
- Improving mood
Why Winter Hydration Matters
Winter hydration matters just as much as hydration during warmer months. Even though we may sweat more in July than in December, our bodies still lose water in the winter the same primary ways they do in the spring, summer, and fall – not just through sweating, but also through breathing and urinating.
Being thirsty is one way we know our bodies need water. But there are other ways our bodies signal to us that they need more hydration. These include:
- Experiencing dry mouth
- Cracked or chapped lips
- Dry skin
- Dark urine
- Difficulty focusing
- Feeling lightheaded or tired
How Much Water Should You Drink?
As a starting point, the Mayo Clinic recommends that the average woman should drink about 11.5 cups of water a day, and the average man should drink about 15.5 cups of water a day.
Another way to figure out how much water you need a day is to use your body weight as a starting point. You should be drinking about half of your body weight in fluid ounces each day. So a 200 pound person should drink about 100 ounces of water a day and a 120 pound person should drink about 60 ounces of water a day.
How to Get Hydrated
If that sounds like a lot of water, don’t fret. Drinking a glass of ice water isn’t the only way you can get water.
While plain water can (and should) account for much of your daily hydration needs, there are other ways to get water and stay hydrated. These include:
- Drinking warm beverages, like herbal or non-caffeinated tea
- Eating or drinking soups
- Eating fruits and vegetables with high water content (including cucumbers, celery, spinach, citrus fruits, grapes, watermelons, carrots)
- Drinking water naturally flavored with fruits or vegetables (berries, lemons, oranges, cucumber slices)
Another way to support your winter hydration needs is with natural supplements from Amazing Grace, Trace Minerals Research, and Seeking Health.
Green Superfood Hydrate – Amazing Grass
Green Superfood Hydrate from Amazing Grass is an easy-to-take effervescent tablet crafted with alkalizing farm fresh greens and more than 30 antioxidant superfoods, along with electrolytes and vitamins. Green Superfood Hydrate supports hydration, energy, and immunity with electrolytes from potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and chloride; and while keeping your hydrated, each Green Superfood Hydrate tablet also contains a full serving of greens and vegetables, with an alkalizing greens blend and an antioxidant blend.
Electrolyte Stamina Tabs – Trace Minerals Research
Stay hydrated this winter with the help of Electrolyte Stamina Tabs from Trace Minerals Research. Electrolyte Stamina Tabs are ideal for those who need help staying hydrated, such as athletes, those who exert themselves at work, and anyone experiencing high levels of fluid loss. Electrolyte Stamina Tabs is a hydration supplement that works as a way to support natural electrolyte replacement; through electrolytes like iron, magnesium, chloride, sodium, and potassium, as well as a ConcenTrace blend (containing ionic trace mineral complex, sulfate, kelp, taurine, alfalfa, and boron), this supplement helps provide natural energy boosters for workouts and supports natural ways to reduce cramps and build strength and endurance.
Optimal Electrolyte Powder – Seeking Health
Optimal Electrolyte Powder from Seeking Health supports hydration and provides key nutrients to support peak physical performance at the same time. Optimal Electrolyte Powder contains a powerful electrolyte blend, including magnesium, sodium, and potassium, all needed for maintaining hydration and keeping muscles functioning properly. Along with these electrolytes, Optimal Electrolyte Powder also contains D-Ribose, creatine, and niacin to support cellular maintenance and energy production.
How do you stay hydrated in the winter?
