Welcome to Did You Know, a bite-sized, new column where we aim to make wellness more digestible.
On the agenda for today: hydration in the winter—and why it’s just as important as hydration in the summer.
WHAT:
We tend to think of dehydration as a summer thing, but it’s just as easy (and sometimes easier) to get dehydrated in the winter.
WHY:
We get lots of noticeable cues that we should drink water during the warmer months. But during the winter, these cues are less noticeable. Kinda like how it’s easier to remember to apply sunscreen on a warm, sunny day than a gloomy, cold one. (And yes, we need to wear SPF year-round!)
Basically, we don’t realize how much water we lose in cold weather, so we forget to replenish it.
Bundling up in a lot of layers often leads to sweating through our clothes. Sweat evaporates more quickly in cold, dry air, so we don’t notice it as much as we do in the heat.
Also, it’s cold!
According to a study at the University of New Hampshire, cold can alter (or lessen) our thirst sensation. Chugging a cold glass of water just doesn’t sound as great when it’s freezing.
HOW:
Drink—(and eat)—up!
Here are a few simple tips for drinking more water:
– Snack on hydration-boosting foods like cucumbers and berries.
– Add flavor to plain water with fresh produce like lemon or cucumber.
– Remember that caffeinated bevvies like coffee and tea count toward our hydration tally!
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