Do you also have your water bottle on your desk but often forget to drink from it? You are not alone! Many tend to focus on nutrition when striving for peak performance in the gym or at work. But hydration is just as important.
Our bodies are made up of about 60 per cent water. So if the balance is not right, it can affect our decision-making, our state of mind and our overall performance.
Water helps regulate your body temperature, provide nutrients to your vital organs and keep them functioning optimally. Hydration also affects your mood, thinking and sleep quality. Too little fluid can lead to a decline in cognitive performance or headaches.
If your water balance is not in equilibrium, your blood volume will decrease. This puts extra strain on your heart to maintain blood pressure and blood flow to your vital organs.
Hydration is also key to optimal performance during your exercise. It's important to maintain water balance when you're sweating it out with your bag. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you stay hydrated during and after exercise. Athletes need to consume 125 to 150 per cent of their fluid loss after exercise.
For athletes and non-athletes alike, it is important to drink plenty throughout the day. But how much actually?
Eight glasses of water per day seems to be the generally accepted recommendation. However, this value is only a guideline. Your fluid needs depend on several factors, such as age, size, activity level and ambient temperature.
Thirst, by the way, is not a good indicator of the right time to hydrate. Your thirst response is only triggered at a dehydration of 2 percent. The hypothalamus signals the posterior pituitary to conserve fluid stores. So you should try to drink something before you are thirsty.
A plan that shows you how much you want to have drunk and by when might help. Always remember that a full water bottle on your desk is only half the battle. So cheers!
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Do you also have your water bottle on your desk but often forget to drink from it? You are not alone! Many tend to focus on nutrition when striving for peak performance in the gym or at work. But hydration is just as important.
Our bodies are made up of about 60 percent water. So, if the balance isn't right, it can affect our decision-making, our state of mind and our overall performance.
Water helps regulate your body temperature, provide nutrients to vital organs, and keep them functioning optimally. Hydration also affects your mood, thinking and sleep quality. Too little fluid can lead to a decline in cognitive performance or headaches.
If your hydration level is not balanced, your blood volume will decrease. This puts extra strain on your heart to maintain blood pressure and blood flow to your vital organs.
Hydration is also key to optimal performance during exercise. It's important to maintain water balance when you're sweating it out with your bag. Therefore, it is most importance that you stay hydrated during and after exercise. Athletes need to consume 125 to 150 percent of their fluid loss after exercise.
For athletes and non-athletes alike, it is important to drink plenty throughout the day. But how much actually?
Eight glasses of water per day seems to be the generally accepted recommendation. However, this value is only a guideline. Because your fluid needs depend on several factors, such as age, size, activity level and ambient temperature.
By the way, thirst is not a good indicator of the right time to drink fluids. Your thirst response is only triggered when you are 2 percent dehydrated. The hypothalamus signals the posterior pituitary to conserve fluid stores. You should try to drink something even before you are thirsty.
A plan that shows you how much you want to drink and when might help. Always remember that having a full water bottle on your desk is only half the battle. So, cheers!
