Why Your Hydration Matters During the Winter

Many people believe that you don’t need to drink as much in the winter as you do in the summer, but nothing could be further from the truth. Both perspiring under layers of clothing and the dry air of indoor heating can rob you of much-needed moisture. Staying hydrated helps you maintain energy, supports mental focus, and keeps your body functioning well.

Dr. Arbi Ayvazian and our team at Rapid Response Urgent Care in Granada Hills, California, encourage our patients to remain well-hydrated year-round. As many people aren’t aware of why it’s so important to drink a lot during the winter months, the team’s put together this guide to get you in the know.

Seasonal changes

You naturally perspire less during the winter than during the warmer months, and your sense of thirst decreases. As a result, many people believe hydration isn’t as important.

However, you still perspire, and you also lose water every time you urinate or have a bowel movement. And even when you’re not perspiring, you still lose water through your skin, and the skin is the biggest organ in your body.

In addition, many people tend to stay indoors and crank up the heat, but while it might feel good, it’s very dry air, and so you lose more moisture than you’d think. The resulting dehydration increases your risk of kidney stones, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and constipation.

Our bodies are composed of about 60-70% water, so it’s an essential component in the systems that regulate everyday functions. You need water to transport nutrients, remove waste, support the immune system, hydrate your tissues and organs, maintain blood pressure, and maintain a normal body temperature. This is important for preventing hypothermia if you go outdoors in the cold.

How much should I drink?

Fluid intake is a combination of the foods you eat (fruits and veggies have lots of water) and the liquids you drink, and the recommended intake varies from one person to another. It depends on factors that include age, sex, activity level, altitude, weather, and overall health.

A quick way to determine the minimum number of ounces you need every day is to take your weight in pounds and divide it in half to get the ounces. So, a 150-pound person would need about 75 fluid ounces every day. This figure goes up if you sweat excessively, exercise hard for more than an hour, or have a fever.

Tips to stay hydrated during the winter

Here are some tips to ensure you have proper hydration during the winter months.

Warm fluids are great when it’s cold outside. Try sipping warm water, hot herbal infusions, or warming broths. They all count toward your daily ounces.

Jazz up plain water with a slice of lemon or lime, which are watery fruits.

Carry a water bottle with you all the time. This serves as a visible reminder that you need to drink throughout the day. Keep a glass or bottle of water by the bed in case you get thirsty at night.

Up your liquid food intake. Homemade soups are always a winner in winter, but also try to include water-rich fruits and vegetables such as green leafy vegetables, citrus, melon, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

Moderate your caffeine intake. Caffeine is a natural diuretic, meaning it can flush water and electrolytes from your body. For each caffeinated beverage you drink, also drink a glass of water of equal volume.

Alcohol shouldn’t be counted toward fluid intake; if nothing else, it can interfere with your perception of cold, increasing the risk for hypothermia. Try mocktails instead.

The more you can do to increase your hydration during the winter, the healthier you’ll be.

If you’re having difficulty making your daily hydration goals, Rapid Response Urgent Care can help. Walk in, call us at 818-923-5216, or book an appointment online today.