Finally, the weather we’ve all been waiting for is here, so it's time to put on that factor 50 sunscreen and head outside to enjoy some warm weather.
After a number of grey and rainy days, it feels like the much-awaited arrival of summer is finally here – with hot temperatures set to stay for the next few weeks.
With this also comes a heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 31C degrees in some areas across the UK.
As much as we all want to enjoy the hot weather, it is also vital to stay safe and sensible when in the sun to ensure we don’t become ill.
Hydration is key when you’re experiencing any warm weather. It doesn't matter if you're outside or inside, it's important to stay hydrated at all times.
Particularly during heatwaves, we need to consume more water than usual. If we don’t we can become dehydrated and suffer from the following symptoms:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Low blood pressure
- Tiredness
- Feeling thirsty
- Decrease in urination
- Dark yellow or strong-smelling pee
How much water should we drink a day?
Water makes up 60% of the body in an adult, making it a vital source of our body’s function.
Water is the best liquid to drink throughout the day to keep you hydrated.
If you don’t like the bland taste of water try adding some squash or add a slice of lemon or lime to the water.
The recommended amount of water to drink a day is 6 to 8 glasses, the minimum being around 2 litres a day.
Drinking fluids is key to keeping our bodies working and healthy. It helps with the digestive system, regulating body temperature, helping your brain function and flushing out waste from your body, along with many other body functions.
Should we drink more water during a heatwave?
As water helps regulate our bodies temperature during a heatwave and hot weather we will need to drink more water than usual in order to maintain our bodies temperature.
When we are hot our bodies sweat which causes us to lose more water than usual from our bodies.
We then need to replace this loss of water from the sweat by drinking more and replenishing ourselves.
Therefore when people are active they need to drink more from the water they are losing when they’re exercising and losing sweat.
Experts suggest drinking 2.5 litres during warmer weather and to drink this continuously throughout the day.
Drink clean, fresh and cold water throughout the day if possible this will help you to not only keep cool but also keep your hydration levels up.
Some people will drink more than others, so it is important to listen to your body and ensure you’re staying hydrated at all times, not going long lengths of time between each refreshment break.
