Feeling tired? Crampy? Cranky?
Those are all common feelings among caregivers…but guess what? They’re all common symptoms of dehydration! Other people who have been diagnosed with dehydration report feeling aches and pains (including chronic headache), constant stress, even depressed, and anxious.
Dehydration can be sneaky. It can have an impact on your mental and physical health before you ever think about being thirsty.
We know that every cell in our bodies and brains needs water to survive and thrive. As caregivers we need to keep ourselves as strong and healthy as possible so that we have the energy we need to do the things we want to do.
A simple way you can do that in ten minutes or less, is to drink some water. Add a lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit slice to punch up the taste if plain old water is hard to get down.
How much should you be drinking a day? Experts say we should use this formula:
your body weight
________________ = your daily water intake goal
2
So, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink 80 ounces of water every day.
Nutritionists say although that sounds like a lot, you can get what you need if drink a glass of water when you wake up, a glass of water at each meal and snack, and sip water throughout the day.
Now that the hot, humid days of summer are here, it’s important to pay attention to keeping ourselves hydrated. Medical research also shows that the energy we get from drinking enough water helps us to lose weight, sleep better, and get more exercise. Drink up!
j.
