There are so many good reasons to stay hydrated, and when you’re a student this is incredibly important. We’ll dive into why, as well as how you can make sure you’re as hydrated as possible, in today’s blog post!
Why you need to be hydrated
Hydration is vital. It helps us focus and learn, makes it easier to sleep, ensures our skin looks its best, and keeps our body functioning properly. At uni, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of not sleeping enough – whether that’s through staying out partying or going to bed late because you’re working on your studies. In turn, this can leave you feeling groggy – making it hard to concentrate and so on.
By keeping your fluid intake where it needs to be, you’ll give yourself the best chance of feeling well and studying to the best of your abilities.
How to stay hydrated
The number one thing is to drink enough water. It goes without saying that this is the best way to ensure adequate hydration but if it was as easy as that, we’d all be doing it! Some of us find it harder than others to stay hydrated at uni and in general life, so we’ve got some handy staying hydrated tips for you.
Get a fancy water bottle
And by fancy we don’t mean expensive: just a bottle you like the look, feel and function of. By keeping this filled with cold water, you’ll (hopefully) be more likely to actually get the fluids you need each day. Whether you go for an insulated tumbler with lid and straw (like the coveted Stanley cup and its many ‘dupes’) or a cute bottle with a tight lid which you can chuck in your bag and carry around with you.
Add in some flavour
Hydration doesn’t have to be about just drinking plain water. Get yourself some squash (or diluting juice, depending on where you’re from) and add a few drops into your water. This helps your drink feel a bit more exciting, but it’s typically not packed with sugar and additives like fizzy pop.
Use an app
There are actually a lot of apps which you can use to track your water intake – whether it’s simply putting in how much you’ve had so you can keep an eye on it, or virtual plants that will wilt and ‘die’ if you don’t track enough water consumption. Gamifying your hydration can really help!
Add hydrating foods into your diet
If you really don’t drink enough water, you can get your hydration elsewhere – from various foods. Many fruits and vegetables are high in water content, particularly watermelon, cucumber, lettuce, strawberries, pineapples and peaches. Broths and soups are also a great way to increase your fluid intake. Milk is super hydrating too, as it contains lactose and protein which help your body to absorb fluid.
Other tips
Some other ways to ensure you’re hydrated are to increase your electrolytes (especially when exercising) through gels or powders which can be added to water. Cutting down on alcohol is also important, as one side effect of alcohol consumption is that it dehydrates your body!
Adequate hydration is vital for better sleep, more energy, proper bodily functions and improved concentration. Make sure you’re getting enough fluids or making up for it where you can.
Photo: Vanesa Giaconi
