A recent study found that up to 60% of community-dwelling seniors were suffering from varying levels of dehydration.
Hydration, nutrition, and rest are the foundations of a balanced and healthy lifestyle, particularly for seniors.
Are you aware of the benefits of hydration and what can happen if you neglect your hydrational health? Keep reading as we delve into the hydration edition of the senior health chronicles – giving you the information you need to stay healthy and vibrant in your later years!
Why Is Hydration So Important In Later Life?
Your health becomes more sensitive when you enter the later years of life. Small changes in your routines can drastically affect your health and feelings. Here are some of the reasons to look out for your hydration levels.
Benefits Of Hydration
When you start committing to a healthier lifestyle and meeting your water intake requirements, you’ll notice the following benefits:
- More alertness and energy: Drinking plenty of water can help transport oxygen and valuable nutrients throughout the body more easily. You’ll notice an increased feeling of alertness, less sluggishness, and more energy. Water truly is the cornerstone of vitality!
- Weight management: When dehydrated, food cravings can make it hard to stick to a diet plan. Drinking plenty of water daily can curb those cravings and make your weight management plan easier while keeping you in great shape.
- Supple joints: Your joints require synovial fluid as cushioning, and your cartilage comprises 80% water. When you are dehydrated, these body parts can suffer, exacerbating joint pain. By getting your daily water intake, you can ensure your joints have the hydration they need for proper cushioning and support to decrease friction.
- Skin health: By drinking plenty of water, you ensure your skin has the hydration to remain elastic. Skin elasticity leads to fewer wrinkles, and the extra water levels in your skin can create a bouncier and more rejuvenated look.
- Maintaining the body: Hydration plays an important role in maintaining body temperature levels and blood pressure regulation. When you’re dehydrated, these systems aren’t in full harmony and could lead to negative health consequences. By drinking enough water every day, you can instill balance and harmony in your body for a feeling of total health.
Health Consequences Of Poor Hydration
So, what happens when you don’t drink enough water? Here are some of the health consequences of poor hydration that are particularly prevalent in senior adults:
- Increased risk of UTI: When your body doesn’t have enough water to flush out harmful bacteria, this can lead to an infection in the urinary tract. A urinary tract infection can be extremely dangerous for older adults, leading to confusion and neurological events.
- Heat stress: When your body isn’t hydrated, you’re unable to sweat. Sweat is important for evaporative cooling, which prevents heat stress on the body. Heat stress leads to disorientation, overheating, sickness, and heart palpitations.
- Dry mouth: When you’re dehydrated, your body can’t produce as much saliva, leading to a dry mouth. Dryness in the mouth leads to increased bacteria growth, and can cause extremely bad breath, which would inhibit your social interactions and quality of life.
- Disorientation, dizziness, and lethargy: Since water is so instrumental to bodily harmony and energy levels, failing to drink enough water can lead to severe drowsiness. You may feel confused, have brain fog, and have difficulty waking up in the morning if you’re not getting enough water.
- Low blood pressure: Since your blood won’t have as much water content when you’re dehydrated, your blood pressure will drop. Low blood pressure can cause fatigue and fainting, increasing your risk of falling and injuring yourself.
With so many negative consequences to consider, this should be your wake-up call to start prioritizing your hydration levels today.
Top Ways To Stay Hydrated (Even If You Hate Drinking Water)
Even those who hate drinking tap water still need to stay hydrated – here’s how to do it!
Hydrating Foods
Even if you’re still not a fan of drinking water, you can hydrate yourself by snacking on nutritious and highly hydrating foods. Here are some examples to add to your diet:
- Cucumber
- Watermelon
- Celery
- Bell peppers
- Broths
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
Of course, you’ll need to manage your sugar intake when eating hydrating fruits, especially if you’re diabetic. However, you can use hydrating foods to reduce the water you drink daily.
Infused Water
Water doesn’t have to be boring. You can spice it up however you like. Whether you prefer ginger, lemon, strawberry, or mint, you can create or buy infused water that hits your tastebuds right and provides lip-pursing refreshment. Infusing your water with refreshing elements like ginger and mint can help you manage bad breath. Try switching it up daily to increase your desire to drink water and maintain a consistent hydration routine.
Juice
Concentrated juice is something you can simply add to your water when you want a sweeter and more appetizing taste. It comes in delicious flavors, from apple to blackcurrant and orange. And if you’re diabetic, you can opt for a sugar-free version!
Tea & Coffee
Despite popular belief, tea and coffee still contribute to your daily water intake—but only if you don’t add sugar. Despite their caffeine content, they provide a generous amount of water, making them hydrating.
Summary
We all want to stay healthy and in our prime, even in later years. And, there’s no way to have a healthy lifestyle without our life source, water. By adding more water breaks into your daily routine, you’ll have supple skin and joints, more energy, and more clarity. Consider the different hydration tips listed above and which options best suit you.
