Summer Hydration: Are You Drinking Enough Water?

water

From season to season, it’s important to drink water to maintain healthy skin, hair and more. We’re more susceptible to dehydration in the summer when the heat alone causes us to sweat more than normal or the nice weather inspires us to be more active. The side effects of dehydration are not pretty, and trust me—as someone who has always struggled to stay on top of my water intake, it makes a huge difference.

Here are some signs that you’re not getting enough water…

Headaches, mood swings and fatigue. If you feel tired more than you should or you get headaches often, consider whether you are drinking enough water. Fatigue is one of the first signs of dehydration. I have experienced this in the extreme when I was visiting Colorado where the elevation and thin air are tough on your system. After a day of running about without much water, I was hit by a wave of exhaustion and my body began rapidly shutting down. Three glasses of water later and I bounced right back. From day to day, I keep my energy levels high and I avoid annoying little headaches by drinking water.

Body and joint aches. Do you ever get those random leg aches where your knees feel hot, achy and restless? Me, too—though hardly ever when I’m properly hydrated. Water keeps your joints lubricated so you can move about pain-free. Without proper hydration, acid waste such as uric acid can accumulate in your joints and cause inflammation and pain. Water flushes the bad stuff out.

Fine lines and dull skin. When I am not drinking enough water, it shows on my face in a major way. I can pretty much look in the mirror and see whether or not I’m drinking enough water—it’s that dramatic. I remember seeing a news story about a woman who committed to drinking an enormous amount of water everyday for a month. The before and after photos told the entire story. Water keeps skin looking plump and clear, and it promotes bright, sparkling eyes. You might be using the finest skin care products on earth, but without enough water your skin won’t ever be at its best.

Here are some ways to make drinking water more enticing…

Add fruits, veggies and herbs to your water glass. A squeeze of lemon, cucumber slices, crushed mint, ripe raspberries—all of these ingredients will add subtle fresh flavor as well as vitamins and nutrients to your water. Chose a nice sparkling or flat mineral water to supplement your mineral intake and really energize your body and mind.

Drink out of a fun vessel. Water bottles like those by BKR or Swell are portable, stylish and easy to tote around. Alternatively, keep some straws around your house. I drink water more when I use a straw. I guess it’s the kid in me.

Get your water from herbal teas. Whether it’s hot or iced, herbal tea is a great way to increase your water intake while getting the added benefits from the herbs. Look for adaptogenic herbs like Tulsi that helps normalize imbalances in the body and support adrenal function.

Once you get into the habit of drinking water regularly, the results will keep you on track. Summer is an ideal time to pick up this healthy habit, so drink up!

One thought on “Summer Hydration: Are You Drinking Enough Water?

  1. This is such a timely post for me, I constantly struggle to drink enough water! i can definitely tell when I haven’t had enough but that still doesn’t seem to motivate me to drink more! The tips you have are great, the straw one especially. I’m glad it’s not just me 🙂 I’m intrigued by the tea suggestions, will have to look into that! Thanks Susannah!

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About Susannah Compton

Susannah Compton is the founder and formulator behind Florescent, a line of 100% botanical perfumes she blends in small batches from organic and wild crafted aromatics. Plant-based skincare and cosmetics are a way of life for Susannah, who writes about clean beauty and the benefits of botanical ingredients for No More Dirty Looks, Thoughtfully Magazine and Integrity Botanicals. Florescent, however, is Susannah’s personal expression of healthy beauty. Susannah has been working with botanical aromatics for years, blending first for therapeutic purposes before delving into the art of perfumery. Having rarely experienced the depth and complexity of true botanicals in conventional perfume, she learned the art of blending and created what her heart desired — a scent that would move her the way perfume should. In search of those elevating, ethereal bouquets of scent, Susannah honed her skills behind the perfume bench. She launched Florescent in the spring of 2015 to share the lush experience and pleasing ritual of real perfume.