When the temperatures rise, and the summer heat hits, getting enough to drink is important whether your active outside or just sitting in the sun.

SolutionHealth’s Hannah Greulich, RD, LD, a Clinical Dietitian at Elliot Center for Advanced Nutrition Therapy is sharing some helpful tips on how you can stay hydrated.

The majority of our bodies are made up of water, so it’s super important to stay hydrated. Adequate hydration ensures that our bodies can function properly. It plays a role in regulating many processes, such as temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and removing toxins from the body.

Inadequate hydration means the body must work harder to function. That can result in problems with the heart and kidneys. “Without adequate fluid intake, the body will begin to shut down. That can cause a person to feel tired, faint, dizzy, and/or confused,” Greulich explains. Other consequences can include frequent headaches, constipation, cramping, dry skin, and/or fatigue.

Greulich says it is particularly important to pay attention to these symptoms in the summer when we lose more fluid through sweat.

A simple way to figure out your fluid needs is to drink half of your body weight in ounces. However, if you engage in an intense or prolonged physical activity, or you are sweating more than usual, you will need to increase your fluid intake to replace the fluid lost.

To prevent dehydration, remember these key things:

1. The first sign of dehydration is thirst. So, if you are thirsty, drink!
2. Carry a reusable water bottle with you.
3. Set an alarm if you are someone that forgets to drink enough.
4. Make a goal to drink a certain amount before each meal.
5. If you don’t like plain water, try adding cut up fruit to add flavor. Naturally flavored seltzers are also an option.