Lately the weather has been extremely hot. The sweltering heat can be unforgiving, and more than ever before we need to pay the needed attention to our hydration status.

When the weather turns scorching hot, our bodies face increased demands.

Proper hydration becomes crucial to maintain health, well-being, and overall performance.

Let’s explore a few of the reasons why staying hydrated matters, especially during sweltering temperatures. In hot weather, we sweat more to cool down, but this also results in loss of body fluids, which can affect various bodily functions. Further, sweat contains water and electrolytes like sodium and potassium, which are needed for several crucial functions in the body.

Our cognitive function and mood are also affected by our hydration status. Cognitive functions refer to the mental processes our brain uses to perform tasks, think, and make decisions, whilst mood refers to our overall emotional state or feeling at a given time. Even mild dehydration can affect these abilities and unless a conscious effort is made to stay hydrated in sweltering heat conditions, our cognitive function and mood can deteriorate.

Drinking sufficient water aids digestion and nutrient absorption, supports metabolic processes in the body, including the breakdown of food for production of energy. In hot weather, when we do not replace the fluids we are losing, the opposite of these effects are the result- digestion, absorption of nutrients and metabolic processes are all impaired making our bodies function at below optimum levels.

Finally, physical performance and endurance is also affected by our hydration status. Dehydrated muscles work less efficiently. Proper hydration improves endurance, strength not only for athletic performance but also for activities of daily life.

We suggest 2 simple ways to help you detect whether you are getting enough hydration in hot temperature conditions. Firstly, monitor how often you urinate. Regular (not excessive) urination indicates a good hydration status. Secondly a pale urine colour generally signals a good hydration status whilst darker coloured urine may be a sign of dehydration. You can contact your dietitian or healthcare professional to discuss your hydration status.