Hydration and exercise: stay hydrated during your workout

You’re probably sick of hearing this, but the importance of drinking enough water while exercising, especially during the warmer months, cannot be emphasised enough.

When we exercise, we build up heat in working muscles causing our internal temperatures to rise. We cool ourselves by perspiring. It is this evaporation of sweat from our skin that helps us maintain a lower core body temperature. When there is a lot of moisture in the air, evaporation isn’t an effective cooling means and we keep sweating and losing fluids in order to try and stay comfortable. As a result, we have to drink more water to replenish this lost fluid.

The first drawback to dehydration is diminished performance. The water we lose through sweating comes from blood plasma. Plasma is the vehicle for red blood cells, which contain the oxygen that muscles need in order to perform. As you become dehydrated, your total blood volume is reduced, and the oxygen-carrying capability of your blood decreases. If you continue to exercise without proper fluid intake, you may experience a drop in blood pressure, feel faint, dizzy or nauseous. These are the symptoms of heat exhaustion. If you keep going, your body's ability to dissipate heat is further impaired and you may suffer heat stroke.

During heat stroke, your temperature can rise above 41 degrees Celsius. At this point, you no longer sweat, and seizures, coma or even death may result. Remember, blood not only carries oxygen to your working muscles, it sends it to all of our vital organs, like the brain.

How do you get enough water? Drink a glass of water every fifteen minutes during your workout. This may sound like a lot, but it is necessary to keep you hydrated. If you can't drink that much water at once, take smaller amounts every ten minutes.