We all know that it's important to hydrate when the temperature rises, but what about during the colder winter months? Even though you're not feeling dehydrated due to the heat, your body is still using massive amount of fluid when you spend time in a cold environment.
Dehydration is normally associated with the lack of fluids and heat, but a lack of fluids on cold winter days can be just as dangerous. Here are just a few causes of dehydration on cold days:
- Your lungs work harder to warm the cold air you breathe in, using more bodily fluid
- Exposure to cold, dry air strips the skin of natural moisture
- Water-based fruits and vegetables are more scarce, causing us to eat more starchy vegetables
- We tend to drink more hot, caffeinated beverages when it's cold such as tea or coffee rather than hydrating fluids
The air you breathe needs to be warmed in your lungs to your internal body temperature. While you may not feel your body working to do this, warming the airstrips your lungs of fluids, and you must be careful to replenish these fluids in order to stay hydrated and help your body process cold air properly.
The cold air also has an effect on your skin. Dry air strips moisture from your skin, depleting it from your body. Not only will this dry out your skin, but it will take moisture away from your other internal systems that need it to keep your body running at its peak.
Our diets also generally change in cold weather. Fresh fruits and vegetables that contain mass amounts of water become scarce, and the produce section of the grocery store becomes fully stocked with starchy fall and winter vegetables. Also, we tend to gravitate towards warm beverages when the temperature drops. Coffee, tea and other commonly consumed hot drinks have caffeine and large amounts of sugar or sugar alternatives. These types of beverages won't hydrate your body and can actually lead to dehydration. Try drinking more water or substituting an enhanced sports beverage such as TapouT for any drink to help your body stay properly hydrated.
For a variety of reasons, we tend to notice dehydration symptoms faster in warmer weather. Some studies suggest that the average person feels less thirsty when the weather is cold rather than warm. While we may not feel thirsty, our body still craves the same hydration levels in winter that it does in summer. Our sweat also tends to turn into vapor as the dry winter air wicks it off of our bodies. In the summer, we can be drenched in sweat during exercise letting us know we need to consume either water or a TapouT sports drink, but when we exercise in the winter, our sweat doesn't quite cling to our bodies in the same way.
Even without exercise, our bodies burn through fluids in cold weather conditions. We tend to wear more layers of clothing, raising our body temperatures and causing sweat even when only slightly active. We may not take off coats, scarves and other winter gear when entering indoor spaces causing a sudden shift in relative temperatures, causing out bodies to burn more water to keep performing during a spike in indoor temperatures after spending time in the cold outdoors.
Just because we may not feel thirsty or have our sweat cling to our skin like summer months, doesn't mean we shouldn't have a dedicated hydration routine. We should consume fluids first thing in the morning to help promote healthy hydration and energy levels. Drinking a TapouT Citrus Kick or low-calorie Cherry Lemonade Blast the morning rather than coffee or tea will not only start your hydration regimen right but give you a boost with essential vitamins, electrolytes and minerals.
As with most times of the year, you should drink fluids on a regular basis, ideally a glass of water every hour with a sports beverage substituted occasionally. Drinking your fluids periodically will help your body maintain peak hydration as well as prevent a waste of fluids when you guzzle more water than your body can store in a short burst once or twice a day.
There is one thing that is very important to note in cold weather. Drinking an excessive amount of plain water can help speed up the symptoms of hyponatremia, or an unhealthy depletion of natural sodium. Your body will require more sodium and electrolytes if you plan on exercising outdoors or simply being exposed to cold temperatures for extended periods of time. Both of TapouT's sports beverages contain the sodium your body requires to stay hydrated and the electrolytes potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium that your body will need to fight off the ill effects of extreme cold.
TapouT sports drinks are available in two flavors: Our original Citrus Kick and our low-sugar Cherry Lemonade Blast. TapouT sports beverages are designed to promote superior hydration, energy and mental performance over major leading drinks. They contain nine essential vitamins, five electrolytes and natural sodium to aid the hydration process. Whether you're a world class athlete or just looking for a better way to hydrate, TapouT has you covered.