Health Science News – Hydration is Considered Highly Important, Even during the Winter Months
According to health science news, proper hydration is considered to be exceptionally important, even during the winter months. This is especially true if you engage in regular exercise. According to medical care clinics and other experts, such as professional physical therapy specialists, hydration levels have the ability to impact basic bodily functions, mental performance, and physical performance. Exercising during the winter months presents numerous unique challenges. If you are active during the winter, necessary precautions must be taken in order to stay safe, perform optimally, and experience comfort. In this brief guide, you will learn the latest information, tips, and techniques presented in health science news as it related to winter hydration.
The Common Misconception
One of the most common misconceptions among individuals is that dehydration is a problem that only occurs during periods of the year in which warm weather is experienced. Regardless of whether you are hitting the slopes or riding the waves, dehydration has the ability to detrimentally impact your health at any time of the year. According to medical care clinics and professional physical therapy facilities, approximately 60% of the weight on the human body is comprised entirely of water. If this percentage drops, even just a small amount, the detrimental effects of dehydration has the potential to negatively impact the health. Based on information in circulation on health science news, by the time a person experiences thirst, the body could already be experiencing some degree of dehydration.
The Symptoms
Dehydration may be viewed as a relatively small issue by most; however, it is, in fact, quite serious. During the winter months, it could be exceptionally difficult to pinpoint. This is mostly due to the fact that many commonly believe that higher outdoor temperatures are the main contributor for lack of adequate fluid amounts within the body. The body actually craves proper hydration throughout the entire year. The lack of hydration, though, could result in dehydration advancing to a particularly dangerous stage before being identified. For this reason, it is imperative to become familiar with the symptoms of low hydration levels in the body. According to health science news, the following outlines the most common symptoms experienced by those that are dehydrated during the winter months:
- Many individuals experience headaches when the hydration levels of the body are low.
- It is common for the mouth to become dry or even sticky.
- An individual that is dehydrated may find that only small amounts of physical activity results in over-exertion or extreme sleepiness.
- Gastrointestinal complications, such as constipation, may occur because of the lack of fluid within the bowels.
- The skin and lips may become dry.
- Dizziness may be experienced.
- The urine may appear dark-colored or amber-colored.
- Dehydration may result in extreme levels of thirst.
- Nausea may be experienced, in conjunction with a fast heart rate.
- Many may discover that their blood pressure levels drop.
- The eyes may appear dark, tired, and sunken.
- It may be difficult to produce tears.
The Effects of Cold Temperatures on the Body
According to health science news, cold weather has many effects on the body. First and foremost, the body temperature drops. In order to retain warmth, the metabolism of the body must be increased, according to professional physical therapy specialists and medical care clinics. When we breathe in cold air, we lose a large amount of water from the body. Because of the fact that the cold air needs to be moist and warmer when we breathe, we burn a significant amount of calories. Our natural mechanism for thirst is reduced in cooler temperatures; however, we must consume more fluids in order to compensate for the fluids that we lose while breathing. While we have numerous nutritional needs during the winter months, water is top priority. Many find that their physical performance decreases during the winter months. The main reason for this is lack of hydration within the body.
Conclusion
Based on the information derived from health science news, medical care clinics, and professional physical therapy facilities, dehydration is often more common during the cold months than during the warm months. The main reason for this is that low fluid levels are not as easily noticed or suspected during the winter months. Not only is water an essential nutritional component as it pertains to the functioning of our body, it is essential to our performance, both physiologically and psychologically. If you want to ensure that you perform optimally all year long, keep hydrating your body – even if you are not experiencing any signs of dehydration. This will prevent any health complications from arising.