He also suggests sipping through a straw to consume more with minimal effort. Braunstein also recommends coconut water, which contains electrolytes, a group of nutrients that help restore, regulate, and circulate fluids in the body. The essential minerals categorized as electrolytes include potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and more.

Together, they can speed up fluid absorption and improve overall health. Other options to rehydrate include caffeine-free herbal teas, nutrient-rich clear broth or soup, and Oral Rehydration Solutions ORS that include a balanced blend of electrolytes and carbohydrates.

The drink can be chilled or sipped at room temperature to replenish electrolytes lost during vigorous exercise, extremely hot weather , or other activities involving excessive sweating and exertion.

The uncanny mix of glucose and sodium may be odd to the palate, but great to restore fluid balance in the body in circumstances where fast rehydration is necessary.

Also, there are plenty of hydrating foods to eat throughout the day. Snack on water-rich foods like watermelon , strawberries, grapes, cantaloupe, oranges, or cucumbers to stay hydrated, Braunstein adds.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Water and healthier drinks. Mayo Clinic. Water: How much should you drink every day. National Council on Aging.

How to stay hydrated for better health. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance.

Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content.

List of Partners vendors. Health Preventive Health. By Nafeesah Allen. Nafeesah Allen. Nafeesah Allen, Ph. Her published work has been featured in various national publications, such as Real Simple, Forbes, and more. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines. Medically reviewed by Vivek Cherian, MD.

Vivek Cherian, MD is an internal medicine physician, on-camera medical expert, and medical consultant who works to help brands like Real Simple remain abreast of current events as they relate to medicine and promote their audience's health and wellness. Learn More. Fact checked by Haley is a Wisconsin-based creative freelancer and recent graduate.

Our Fact-Checking Process. Put Down the Sugary Sports Drink—These 9 Foods Naturally Replenish Electrolytes. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles.

Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. And drinking H2O is an effective way for most people to stay hydrated. The National Academy of Medicine recommends that adult women and men drink at least 91 and ounces of water a day, respectively.

For context, one gallon is fluid ounces. Nieman says plain water has a tendency to slip right through the human digestive system when not accompanied by food or nutrients. This is especially true when people drink large volumes of water on an empty stomach.

Lager was a little less hydrating than water, but a little better than coffee. Water is still hydrating. So are sports drinks, beer, and even coffee, to some extent.

Ingesting water along with amino acids, fats and minerals seems to help the body take up and retain more H2O—and therefore maintain better levels of hydration—which is especially important following exercise and periods of heavy perspiration.

In some rare cases, excessive water consumption can even be harmful. In this scenario, sports drinks and other beverages that contain nutrients and sodium are safer than plain water.

Drinking water before or during a meal or snack is another good way to hydrate. Some of his own research has found that eating a banana is better than drinking a sports beverage when it comes to post-exercise recovery. These hydration rules apply to athletes as well, he says.

But for those hoping to stay optimally hydrated, a slow-and-steady approach to water consumption and coupling water with a little food is a more effective method than knocking back full glasses of H2O between meals.

It's also key to drink when you're not feeling well. And, no matter where you are or what you're doing, you'll probably be able to find a glass of water. What's even better than water? Water with electrolytes. When you're dehydrated, you're depleted of electrolytes that help your kidneys function—drinks like Smartwater and Trader Joe's Alkaline Water Plus Electrolytes can come to the rescue and ward off a headache or other mild dehydration-related issues.

Pedialyte is an advanced, medical-grade hydration formula containing the key electrolytes potassium, sodium, and chloride designed to restore your body's sugar and electrolyte balance.

Good for both children and adults, Pedialyte gets you on the fast track to feeling better, especially when you're sick with a stomach flu or other illness.

A favorite of athletes and workout warriors, Gatorade is chock full of electrolytes—but it's also high in sugar. Sugar, in this case, is not all bad: it's actually helping your body absorb the electrolytes more efficiently. Plus, Gatorade does have an option with less calories and sugar called G2 for those watching their sugar intake.

With the right ingredients, you can whip up your own electrolyte-infused drink. The key is including sugar, salt, and plenty of water. This delicious lemon-ginger electrolyte drink recipe calls for ginger, lemon, lime juice, agave, sea salt, and mineral water. Any time you eat watermelon, you're getting water and a hefty dose of vitamin A, vitamin C, and electrolytes.

Coconut water is nature's version of a sports drink. It contains five main electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and sodium. Like a sports drink, coconut water also has sugar. What's the difference, then?

A store-bought sports drink has up to four times as much sodium as coconut water, but it also contans high-fructose corn syrup instead of natural glucose and fructose. On the other end of the spectrum you'll find drinks that can actually make you more dehydrated.

Namely, drinks with caffeine or alcohol. Avoid reaching for coffee, tea, and soda, no matter how refreshing it looks.

As for alcoholic beverages, keep this in mind: the higher the alcohol concentration, the more dehydrating the drink—that's why it's important to always drink water alongside your cocktail! Not sure if you're dehydrated? In addition to thirst, these are the tell-tale symptoms of dehydration:. Another is celery, which is packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber to keep the body refreshed and skin glowing, she says.

She recommends adding both to her cult-favorite Glowing Green Smoothie and drinking it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

To ensure you stay hydrated, compensate with additional liquids. Or start the day with a big jug of filtered water with your goal water intake, and fill all your water bottles from it to monitor your progress throughout the day.

Collina Strada Rhinestone Water Bottle. LARQ Bottle PureVis. Harmless Harvest Organic Coconut Water 12 Pack. Walter Painted Filter. Jennifer Lopez Confirms Milky Nails Are the New French Manicure. What Are the Best Colognes for Men? Inside My Dizzying Quest to Find Them.

Wave Goodbye to Dark Circles With These Eye Creams. You can unsubscribe at any time. Save this story Save. Individualize Your Intake Eight glasses of water has long been considered the essential amount of water to drink to stay hydrated.

Hydrate First Thing in the Morning Starting the day by replenishing fluids is the key to daily hydration, Snyder says. Drink Between Meals Instead of During In the U.

Incorporating these and other water-rich fruits and vegetables into your diet gives you an easy way to hydrate. Check out these recipes from Eating Well that bring together hydrating ingredients in delectable ways. Myth debunking time! Caffeine is indeed a diuretic, but you retain most of the water from the beverage.

Your body is able to absorb as much fluid as it needs and expel the rest…. Ronald J. You can get great hydration with some creative kitchen experimentation. Two options are to make smoothies or homemade juices , which are especially hydrating if you incorporate high-water-content fruits and veggies.

Mocktail recipes can also result in delightful hydrating drinks—for instance, check out this fruity mock sangria. Eating Well has an excellent collection of drink recipes. Alcohol is not a good way to hydrate. If you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, consider adding sparkling water to turn it into a spritz.

Shop All Stein Water Bottles Curve Water Bottles Cruiser Tumblers Travel Pet Bowls Accessories. What are you looking for?

Newsletter Sign up to receive exclusive content updates, and more. Email address. Featured articles 6 Drinks with Electrolytes for Better Hydration. How to Thoroughly Clean Your Stainless Steel Water Bottle.

Demystifying TSA Guidelines for Water Bottles While Traveling on a Plane. Published October 3, Updated October 3, Coffee and Tea Myth debunking time! Mix It Up! What NOT to Drink Alcohol is not a good way to hydrate.

The same study found that rehydration with stevia-sweetened beverages did not show the same effects and helped increase hydration safely. You might be wondering: Do I really need all these hydration tips? How can I tell if I'm even dehydrated in the first place?

According to Ellis and the latest research 9 , some common symptoms of dehydration to look out for include:. If you experience severe dehydration symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, extreme thirst, or confusion, it's best to see a doctor. So, what are some of the top factors making us dehydrated?

According to Cohen, those include:. Vomiting and diarrhea 10 can also lead to dehydration. So, if you come down with an illness or have a condition like IBS that may cause frequent gastrointestinal symptoms, focusing on proper hydration is even more important.

The water excretion rate of a healthy adult is about 20 liters per day and does not exceed 0. Therefore, the maximum amount of water that a person with normal kidney function can drink is to 1, milliliters per hour to avoid water intoxication.

According to the same study, symptomatic hyponatremia usually occurs when one drinks 3 to 4 liters of water in a short period of time.

As long as you are taking in water mindfully and listening to your body, overhydrating should not be an issue. Drinking plain water or water with added electrolytes is the most effective way to rehydrate your body at home.

The two most common signs of hydration are dry lips and thirst. To rehydrate, you can focus on avoiding common dehydrating substances, such as alcohol and sugar, and focus on hydrating beverages like plain water and coconut water. Alcohol is known to dehydrate the body.

To rehydrate, drink a glass of water upon waking and add a pinch of salt or an electrolyte powder. Don't drink more than a liter of water every few hours. Mastering the skill of rehydrating fast at home is one of the best ways to support optimal health and prevent symptoms of dehydration.

To rehydrate safely, pay attention to your body's signals and don't overdo it or overthink it. It's OK to lean on hydrating foods, tea, milk, and other liquids for hydration, and if you want to supercharge your plain water, try adding one of these effective electrolyte powders.

Skip to Content. Shop Health Coaching Classes Editor's Picks Beauty Food Healthy Weight Login Login. Login Login. This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features. Close Banner. Functional Food expert reviewed. Author: Gretchen Lidicker, M.

By Gretchen Lidicker, M. mbg Health Contributor. Lauren Torrisi-Gorra, M. Registered Dietitian. Lauren Torrisi-Gorra, MS, RD is a registered dietitian, chef, and writer with a love of science and passion for helping people create life-long healthy habits.

How to rehydrate fast. We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. Frontload your water intake.

Make your water more interesting. Drink more the older you get. Eat more plants. Carve out "hydration breaks" in your schedule. Pay attention to urine output. Pay attention to urine color. Think beyond water. Don't overdo it. Stop overthinking it. How to make your water more hydrating.

mbg's top picks for electrolyte powders LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix. BUY NOW. Nuun Sport Electrolyte Tablets. Xtend Healthy Hydration Powder Packets.

Summary Adding electrolytes like sea salt or Himalayan salt to one glass of water a day is a good way to bump up hydration.

You can also add an electrolyte mix to your water. Foods that help you hydrate. Cucumber Iceberg lettuce Celery Tomatoes Zucchini and summer squash Asparagus Bell peppers Cabbage Cauliflower Mushrooms Spinach Strawberries.

Drinks that dehydrate you. Sugar-filled drinks. Why coffee isn't on this list Coffee, or caffeine in general, is often blamed for contributing to dehydration. But the effects might not be as substantial as you think, especially with moderate or mild coffee intake. In fact, one study on men showed there were no significant differences across a wide range of blood and urinary markers of hydration status between coffee and water.

Dehydration symptoms.

Electrolytes, including sodium and potassium, are found in sports drinks or powdered hydration packets, as well as in food. While sodium might get a bad rap because 47 percent of Americans have hypertension a condition that can be worsened by increased sodium consumption , rehydration "water weight" isn't a bad thing for the average active adult, Jones says.

Sweat loss can add up to to 1, milligrams of sodium per hour, Jones says. Remember that pretzel portion of pre-workout fuel? It offers milligrams of sodium. Try to refresh your electrolyte stores within 60 minutes post-workout. That might lead to an uncomfortable sloshing feeling in your stomach.

If you really overdo it on that not-recommended pre-workout water chugging, you can actually end up overshooting your hydration goals and may slip into hyperhydration territory. In serious cases, this can lead to coma, seizures, or death. Hyponatremia, or severely low sodium levels.

So no need to go wild with your water intake if you happen to be approaching a workout slightly dehydrated. Instead, stick to the best practices mentioned above and lean into the powers of electrolytes and carbohydrates.

As we mentioned, the extra sodium and carbohydrates in that sports drink help your body better utilize the fluid you are consuming. On rest days, set a goal to drink half of your body weight in pounds in ounces.

By keeping up with your hydration throughout the day, you can avoid the uncomfortable—and sometimes dangerous—symptoms of dehydration or hyper hydration, and can set yourself up for sweat success. This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice.

It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or immediately. Subscribe for a weekly dose of fitness, plus the latest promos, launches, and events.

For more about how we use your information, see our Privacy Policy. Peloton The Output Logo. Train Recover Level Up Connect Shop Open in new Tab. Search Menu icon. Train Bike Row Run Sculpt Strength Train Beginners Yoga Cardio. Connect Member Tips Member Stories Meet Instructors Inspiration Peloton News.

Social Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Copy link to clipboard Share via email. Home Arrow Recover Arrow Nutrition How To Perfect Your Hydration Game for Every Stage of Exercise Staying hydrated can improve your workout performance, aid in body temp regulation, and replace the sweat you dripped off while cycling, running, or strength training.

In this article Arrow Signs of Dehydration Arrow The Best Way to Hydrate for Every Stage of Exercise Arrow What About Electrolytes?

Arrow How to Hydrate Fast Arrow The Takeaway Arrow. Signs of Dehydration. Dry skin. The Best Way to Hydrate for Every Stage of Exercise. How to Hydrate Before a Workout. Instead of focusing just on drinking more and more water, you can focus on making your water more hydrating with the help of electrolytes.

It's easy to get lost in the fray of tracking your water intake in an app, counting ounces, or trying to optimize the timing of your fluid intake, but according to Ellis, you don't need to overthink it.

Cohen agrees: "If anything, I often see people overcomplicate things with apps and gadgets rather than honing in on the signals from their own body. Instead of focusing on simply hydrating more , it might be worth hydrating smarter.

Cohen will sometimes have her patients drink less water overall, but with added factors that make the water they do drink more hydrating. They say they feel better and are better satiated and quenched," she explains. You can make your water more hydrating in a couple of ways. The first is to " add a pinch of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, which has electrolytes 6 and the full spectrum of minerals in it," says Cohen.

That said, she would only recommend doing this once a day. The other option is to add an electrolyte mix to your water. Here are a few of mindbodygreen's favorites for staying hydrated.

Remember that water also comes from the foods we eat. There are certain drinks and food that hydrate you, and there are also beverages to avoid if your goal is optimal hydration. Some common dehydrating drinks include:. If you ever experience more frequent bathroom breaks on a night out, you're not alone.

Alcohol is known to cause diuresis, which is excessive production of urine. Interestingly, one study showed that wine and spirits were more dehydrating than 7 non-alcoholic wine and water, so if you do indulge, lower alcohol options may be the least dehydrating.

This includes soda, fruit juice, and sugar-sweetened coffees and teas. In fact, researchers found that trying to rehydrate with soft drinks actually worsened dehydration-associated kidney damage 8.

The same study found that rehydration with stevia-sweetened beverages did not show the same effects and helped increase hydration safely.

You might be wondering: Do I really need all these hydration tips? How can I tell if I'm even dehydrated in the first place? According to Ellis and the latest research 9 , some common symptoms of dehydration to look out for include:.

If you experience severe dehydration symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, extreme thirst, or confusion, it's best to see a doctor. So, what are some of the top factors making us dehydrated?

According to Cohen, those include:. Vomiting and diarrhea 10 can also lead to dehydration. So, if you come down with an illness or have a condition like IBS that may cause frequent gastrointestinal symptoms, focusing on proper hydration is even more important. The water excretion rate of a healthy adult is about 20 liters per day and does not exceed 0.

Therefore, the maximum amount of water that a person with normal kidney function can drink is to 1, milliliters per hour to avoid water intoxication.

According to the same study, symptomatic hyponatremia usually occurs when one drinks 3 to 4 liters of water in a short period of time. As long as you are taking in water mindfully and listening to your body, overhydrating should not be an issue. Drinking plain water or water with added electrolytes is the most effective way to rehydrate your body at home.

The two most common signs of hydration are dry lips and thirst. To rehydrate, you can focus on avoiding common dehydrating substances, such as alcohol and sugar, and focus on hydrating beverages like plain water and coconut water.

Alcohol is known to dehydrate the body. To rehydrate, drink a glass of water upon waking and add a pinch of salt or an electrolyte powder.

Don't drink more than a liter of water every few hours. Mastering the skill of rehydrating fast at home is one of the best ways to support optimal health and prevent symptoms of dehydration. To rehydrate safely, pay attention to your body's signals and don't overdo it or overthink it.

It's OK to lean on hydrating foods, tea, milk, and other liquids for hydration, and if you want to supercharge your plain water, try adding one of these effective electrolyte powders. Skip to Content. Shop Health Coaching Classes Editor's Picks Beauty Food Healthy Weight Login Login. Login Login.

This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features. Close Banner. Functional Food expert reviewed. Author: Gretchen Lidicker, M. By Gretchen Lidicker, M. mbg Health Contributor. Lauren Torrisi-Gorra, M. Registered Dietitian. Lauren Torrisi-Gorra, MS, RD is a registered dietitian, chef, and writer with a love of science and passion for helping people create life-long healthy habits.

How to rehydrate fast. We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. Frontload your water intake.

Make your water more interesting. Drink more the older you get. Eat more plants. Carve out "hydration breaks" in your schedule. Pay attention to urine output.