Hydration is one of these things we know are important for us, but we often forget to do. We can dehydrate relatively easily through exercise, sitting in hot temperatures, drinking lots of coffee/ alcohol and even just from sitting at our desk.

Water is critical in balancing all of the body’s systems including the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and muscles. Just a 2-3% drop in hydration can lead to shrinkage of the brain which impairs neuro-muscular coordination, decrease concentration and can even cause slow thinking.

Common symptoms of slight dehydration are daytime fatigue, dry skin, irritability and lack of focus on menial tasks.

Here are 3 Keys to staying hydrated

1. Know How Much You Need To Drink A Day

The easiest way to know how much to drink a day is to use the following formula which I pinched off Precision Nutrition.

For every kg of body weight aim to consume 30-40 ml of water.

For example, for a 100 kg man, he would need 3-4 L of water per day.

2. Add A Pinch Of Pink Himalayan Salt To 1 L Of Water

Pink Himalayan salt is easily accessible and just a pinch will increase your consumption of electrolytes including your sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium and chloride levels. These help your body absorb more water, improve energy levels and also stop you running to the lavatory all the time.

3. Carry A Bottle Of Water With You Everywhere

I personally have found it much easier buying a 1.5 L bottle of Evian and making sure I drink two of those a day. This helps me drink the required amount of water each day. This will include an extra bottle on training days. By having these available to me it is a constant reminder to keep my water levels topped up. Ideally I would have glass or stainless steel bottles with filtered water, but the plastic 1.5 L work in my current circumstances.

So there were 3 super simple ways to help you stay hydrated this summer, enjoy!

Your In Health

Patrick Fallis
Founder of Leaner
www.leaner-uk.com