Sports are a great way to have fun, stay
in shape and let off a little steam. One of the main risks
of sports is dehydration, which is more common in hot weather.
Some basic principles regarding sports and dehydration can
help you avoid this problem.
Our bodies prefer to live in a very narrow
temperature range. When the need arises, body uses many
ways to conserve or get rid of heat. When we exercise, working
muscles generate heat. The body has to get rid of the heat
to prevent the body temperature from rising. One of the
ways the body does this is through sweat. When the body
produces sweat, heat can evaporate from the skin to keep
the inside of the body cool.
When we sweat, we lose both water and
salt. Thus, sweating also can make us dehydrated. Dehydration
can't only decrease athletic performance but it can also
be dangerous.
Dehydration can occur after as little
as 30 minutes of exercise, particularly in hot weather.
Dehydration is one of the risk factors for heat exhaustion
and heat stroke, which causes over 400 deaths per year.
The early stages of dehydration often do not cause any symptoms.
As dehydration gets worse, people start
to feel thirsty. Their mouths may also feel dry. These are
the first warning symptoms of dehydration and should not
be ignored. With further dehydration, people develop a flushed
face, extreme thirst, may stop sweating and develop dry
skin. People may no longer urinate or have very small amounts
of dark yellow urine. Weakness, dizziness, muscle cramps,
headaches, thick saliva, sleepiness. With increasing dehydration
you may develop a dry mouth and a dry tongue.
If the dehydration is not corrected at
this point, a person may pass out or get very lightheaded.
Hot, flushed, dry skin is common, as the body can no longer
keep the temperature down. Severe muscle cramps and confusion
may also occur at this stage and people in this situation
need treatment in the nearest emergency room.
All of these stages of dehydration can
and should be avoided. Before athletic activity, drink at
least two or three glasses of water. When engaging in vigorous
activity in hot weather, people can also lose more than
one liter of fluid per hour. Many experts recommend drinking
roughly 8 ounces of water every fifteen minutes during athletic
activity. Don't wait until you become thirsty to drink fluids.
By the time you become thirsty, you already would have lost
more body fluids, which can decrease your athletic performance.
A good rule of thumb is to drink fluids regularly. Your
body can get rid of excess water, but it cannot take in
water without your help.
If you notice you are feeling thirsty,
have a dry mouth or notice that your urine has become dark
yellow, drink a large amount of water-at least one liter.
If you have symptoms of more severe dehydration, such as
muscle cramps or weakness, take at least a fifteen-minute
break in the shade while drinking as much fluid as you can
handle.
Alcohol, coffee, tea and salt tablets increase dehydration and should not be used during sports. Sports drinks are good to use when vigorous athletic activity
will occur for more than an hour. These drinks supply salt,
which is rarely as important as water. However, with prolonged
exercise, these drinks can be alternated with water to prevent
a salt imbalance. One 20-ounce sports drink, such as Gatorade,
per hour is plenty and additional fluid should be in the
form of plain water. Too many sports drink can further dehydrate
a person and make them sluggish because of their high carbohydrate
load.
When the weather is very hot, consider
postponing activity until later in the day or the next morning.
If this is not an option, use frequent breaks to prevent
dehydration. If severe symptoms of dehydration occur, stop
athletic activity and seek medical assistance.
When the weather is hot and humid, drink
more than you would in cooler weather. Also, remember that
the re-hydration process continues in the first few hours
after finishing sports. Continued drinking of extra fluids
will assure the body gets back into balance.
Sports and summer time go hand
in hand for many people. Regular exercise has numerous health
benefits and increases the overall sense of well being.
So get in the game, but don't forget your water!
