With the winter slowly disappearing and warmer weather just around the corner, it is again time to start training outdoors. There is no better feeling than running outside in the fresh, (un)air-conditioned air. But with all the extra mural activities that are now becoming popular again, do we need to be concerned about hydration?
Dehydration is one of the leading causes of a range of injuries and ailments. The lack of sufficient water intake can lead to severe cramping, muscle damage and of course fatigue. There are many ways to avoid dehydration. Many schools and sporting facilities are installing water coolers to ensure that their students and their athletes are always close to the best cure for dehydration. Keeping a sports bottle in your gym bag or school locker is the best way to ensure that you stay hydrated, just remember to fill it each time you walk past the water cooler.
The side effects of dehydration include lack or loss of concentration, decrease in physical and mental performance and dizziness. For children the effects of dehydration are allot more serious and can happen very fast. Children up until the age of sixteen are at a higher risk than adults for dehydration and they need to drink more water than adults each day. There is no exact guideline to follow to ensure that you have drunk sufficient water during your day or during your exercise. The best is to be on the safe side and drink at least eight glasses of water each day, regardless of exercise and to have an extra glass of water for every hour that you are training. In really hot day, remember to drink more water as your body will sweat more to help it to cool down.
Ensure that your school or gym has a water cooler that will give you cool, clean and fresh water at the press of a button. Make sure that if you have children that their teachers are aware of the risks of dehydration and the simple cures.
