Safety and Health Talk: Drink Water in the Summer

Your body needs water all the time.

It’s nearly summer and one of the most important ways you can take care of yourself is to keep enough water in your body. Summer’s heat can take it out of you pretty quick.

First, don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water; your body needs fluids all the time. An adult should drink about two liters of water each day (that’s about eight, 8-ounce glasses) to stay hydrated. In extreme temperatures, two to four 8-ounce glasses of fluid an hour will help keep you hydrated and decrease the risks for heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

You get dehydrated when your body loses water faster than it should. When it’s really hot or you’re working really hard, watch out for signs of dehydration. You may be dehydrated if you have a decrease in urination, a dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when you stand up. Young children and babies show similar symptoms if dehydrated; additionally, a dehydrated child may cry without tears and exhibit unusual drowsiness or fussiness.

Outdoor Activities and Thirst
Sometimes the weather can fool you and you’ll think that you won’t get too hot during a walk through a surface mine or a jog around the track. But during most summer days, you need a bottle of water on hand when you and your family or friends are especially active, like playing frisbee, working in the garden or mowing the lawn. Whatever your outdoor activity, keep water nearby to satisfy your thirst and decrease the chances of dehydration.

What’s the best way to quench your thirst? Drink water! Avoid beverages with alcohol and drinks high in sugar since they don’t fight dehydration and can make symptoms worse. Stay away from caffeinated and carbonated beverages when you feel thirsty. Sports drinks may be appropriate when you’re physically active but remember that they have high levels of sugar, salt, and potassium.

Keep Hydrated; Keep Safe
Playing ball, hiking a trail, or flying to a distant land, you’ll need water to drink. Wherever you get your drinking water (a private well, a public water system, or a stream next to your camping site), it’s important to know that it’s clean, because clean means free of germs that can cause water-related illnesses. Take the necessary precautions before you drink: check with your water supplier and make sure it is following the state standards concerning clean water, drink commercially-bottled water if reliable safe tap water is unavailable, and purify water from a lake, river, or stream.

Thanks for the share RF!