The Quickest Methods to Rehydrate

[ad_1] <img width="800" height="534" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fastest-ways-to-rehydrate-1024x683.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Fastest Ways to Rehydrate | MyFitnessPal" decoding="async" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fastest-ways-to-rehydrate-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fastest-ways-to-rehydrate-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fastest-ways-to-rehydrate-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fastest-ways-to-rehydrate.jpg 1350w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /> It’s a blazing summer time afternoon, and also you’ve simply completed a grueling exercise. You’re drenched in sweat, your vitality feels zapped, and also you’re beginning to really feel a way of fatigue setting in. You must know the quickest methods to rehydrate.

Dehydration can occur shortly when your physique loses extra fluids than it takes in, particularly throughout intense train or in sizzling climate (3).

However dehydration doesn’t simply make you are feeling drained. It may well drag down your exercises, mess together with your focus, and even result in severe well being issues should you don’t care for it. (4).

The excellent news? With a number of sensible strikes, you possibly can assist quicker rehydration and really feel higher sooner—serving to your physique get well from the consequences of dehydration.

This information breaks down straightforward, science-backed ideas that can assist you bounce again quicker, keep energized, and hold your cool when issues warmth up.

Why Hydration Issues Extra in Summer time and After Exercise

Hydration isn’t nearly quenching thirst. About 50 to 70% of your physique mass is made up of water, and each a part of your physique wants water to operate (5)!

Your physique naturally loses water day by day by means of issues like respiratory, sweating, metabolism, and going to the lavatory (6).

The warmer it will get—or the more durable you push your self—the extra you sweat to chill down, and meaning you’re shedding much more fluids. (3).

Even shedding simply 2% of your physique weight in sweat can drag down your efficiency and set off indicators of dehydration. (4, 5).

That’s why staying hydrated is tremendous necessary in the course of the hotter months and after intense bodily exercise.

Frequent indicators of gentle to average dehydration

Dehydration can sneak up on you, so you must know learn how to acknowledge the signs of gentle to average dehydration.

You may expertise (3):

Thirst

Headache

Dizziness

Dry mouth or pores and skin

Much less frequent urination

Darkish-colored urine

Tiredness or fatigue

Treating gentle to average dehydration

For those who’re mildly to reasonably dehydrated, consuming extra fluids often does the trick (3).

However when you may really feel like chugging water, it’s necessary to go gradual and take small sips (3).

Keep away from consuming a couple of liter (34 ounces) of fluid per hour, as this could result in overhydration—a doubtlessly harmful situation (7).

Skip something that would make dehydration worse, like alcohol (3)!

Water: The Gold Commonplace for Quick, On a regular basis Hydration

Simply accessible, reasonably priced, and calorie-free, water is the perfect for staying hydrated daily.

In actual fact, water is taken into account probably the most important nutrient (8). And when scientists research hydration, they often use water as the usual to check how hydrating different drinks are (8).

Water is quickly absorbed by the physique. Analysis suggests rehydration may start as quickly as 5 minutes after consuming it (9). However how shortly it truly will get absorbed is determined by whether or not your abdomen is empty or full (9).

For those who’re mildly dehydrated, it'd take about 75 minutes to 2 hours for the water to completely soak up and make it easier to rehydrate, however this could fluctuate, too (9).

When do you have to drink water throughout train?

Throughout train, staying hydrated is essential to feeling your greatest. Dehydration can zap your vitality, cut back your endurance and motivation, and decelerate restoration (10).

You in all probability get thirsty once you work out, however you may not drink sufficient should you solely go by your thirst ranges (10).

So, to remain hydrated, the American Council on Train recommends (11):

Two to a few hours earlier than train: Drink 17 to twenty ounces of water

20 to half-hour previous to train or throughout warm-up: Drink 8 ounces of fluid

Each 10 to twenty minutes throughout train: Drink 7 to 10 ounces of fluid

Inside half-hour after train: Drink an extra 8 ounces of fluid

For each pound of physique weight misplaced after train: Drink 16 to 24 ounces of fluid

In case your exercise lasts lower than an hour and also you didn’t train within the warmth, plain water is often sufficient (2)!

How a lot water do you have to truly drink?

There’s no one-size-fits-all reply to how a lot water you want. It actually is determined by issues like your weight loss program, your atmosphere, your physique dimension, and the way lively you might be (12).

Your fluid wants may also fluctuate relying in your life stage. For example, pregnant and breastfeeding girls have to drink extra fluids (13).

So how a lot do you have to actually drink? The Nationwide Academy of Drugs suggests (13):

104 ounces (13 cups) day by day for males

72 ounces (9 cups) day by day for girls

Once more, this can be a common guideline for water consumption, as particular person wants fluctuate.

For most individuals, a extra personalised, easy guideline is to drink half your physique weight in ounces of water every day (14). Then, add 12 ounces for each half-hour of train (14).

Questioning what occurred to the outdated recommendation of consuming 8 cups of water a day? It seems that there’s little scientific proof to assist it (6).

Am I consuming sufficient water?

Undecided should you’re consuming sufficient fluids? Listed below are some tricks to verify and keep on high of your hydration:

Test urine: Use urine shade as a easy hydration verify. Gentle yellow to colorless is an effective signal that you just’re well-hydrated (15).

Discover toilet visits: You need to should pee no less than as soon as each two hours. For those who go longer with no need to make use of the lavatory, it'd imply you’re not consuming sufficient (13).

Observe fluid consumption: Use MyFitnessPal’s water monitoring function to maintain nearer tabs in your day by day fluid consumption to assist assist good hydration habits. .

Set hydration objectives: Set behavior objectives associated to your hydration. It may be useful to pick a reusable glass or chrome steel bottle or tumbler, notice what number of ounces it holds, and use it to realize these objectives.

Regardless of standard perception, water-based drinks, comparable to black tea and occasional, can hydrate you simply in addition to plain water (13). That is true even when they include caffeine (13).

Very excessive quantities of caffeine (over 500 milligrams per day) may trigger you to pee a bit extra (16). However most individuals don’t devour that a lot caffeine, so it typically doesn’t have an effect on hydration (16).

In different phrases, so long as you’re consuming it carefully, be happy to contemplate that iced chilly brew as a part of your day by day hydration!

When Water Isn’t Sufficient

Water could be nice for gentle dehydration, however typically your physique wants further assist—that is the place electrolytes are available.

Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium are important minerals. They assist keep fluid stability, muscle operate, and general hydration (17).

Whenever you sweat, particularly throughout intense train or in sizzling climate, you lose these key minerals together with water (2).

Replenishing them is essential to keep away from fatigue, cramps, and dehydration, serving to you get well extra shortly and really feel your greatest (18).

However, should you eat a balanced weight loss program and don’t train intensely, you in all probability get most or all of the electrolytes you want from meals, particularly sodium (2).

So, when do you have to attain for one thing past water?

Are sports activities drinks value it?

Sports activities drinks, powders, and tablets can turn out to be useful once you’re figuring out no less than an hour or exercising in sizzling climate (2).

They usually exchange each electrolytes and carbohydrates (sugar) (2). These carbs assist replenish the glycogen (saved carbs) in your muscle tissues and assist with muscle restore (19).

For those who don’t want the additional carbohydrates, skip the sugar and select unsweetened or naturally sweetened choices with stevia or monk fruit extract.

Unsweetened coconut water

Unsweetened coconut water is a hydrating beverage that gives a pure electrolyte enhance. In comparison with sports activities drinks, it has much less sodium and extra potassium (19).

It additionally incorporates some pure sugar and helpful antioxidants, which may help with train restoration (20).

Coconut water is a superb on a regular basis possibility for gentle to average exercise or informal rehydration. However it may not be sufficient after onerous core exercises (19).

And whereas it’s a pure possibility with fewer energy than typical sports activities drinks, take into account that it’s not calorie-free.

<img decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/is-coconut-water-hydrating-1024x683.jpg" alt="Is Coconut Water Hydrating?" class="wp-image-58659 size-full" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/is-coconut-water-hydrating-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/is-coconut-water-hydrating-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/is-coconut-water-hydrating-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/is-coconut-water-hydrating.jpg 1504w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> You may additionally like

Is Coconut Water Really Hydrating?

Oral rehydration options (ORS)

Oral rehydration options (ORS) are medical formulation. They shortly replenish fluids and electrolytes utilizing sugar to assist sodium and water absorption (21).

These options are sometimes used for average dehydration from diarrhea or vomiting (21).

For intense exercisers, ORS merchandise may help with rehydration after exercises. However every one has completely different quantities of electrolytes, carbs, and amino acids. This will have an effect on how effectively they make it easier to get well (22). So, should you select an ORS for train restoration, search for one designed for post-workout use.

Most ORS aren’t meant for on a regular basis hydration. Usually, they need to solely be consumed beneath a physician’s recommendation. Utilizing them incorrectly might result in salt toxicity and different dangerous results (23).

Hydrating Meals to Add to Your Weight-reduction plan

Do you know that you would be able to additionally eat your method to higher hydration? In actual fact, for most individuals, about 80% of their water consumption comes from drinks, whereas the remaining comes from water-rich meals (13).

Uncooked fruits and veggies make up most meals with excessive water content material (5, 24). Listed below are simply a number of the high hydration helpers (5, 24):

Fruits:

Watermelon (92% water)

Strawberries (92% water)

Kiwi (90% water)

Peaches (89% water)

Oranges (88% water)

Grapefruit (88% water)

Blueberries (88% water)

Pineapple (86% water)

Apple (84% water)

Grapes (81% water)

Veggies:

Cucumbers (96% water)

Lettuce (96% water)

Celery (95% water)

Zucchini and summer time squash (94% water)

Tomato (94% water)

Bell pepper (92% water)

Broccoli (92% water)

Cauliflower (92% water)

Spinach (92% water)

Carrot (88% water)

Another hydrating meals embrace (5):

Broth (92% water)

Skim Milk (91% water)

Plain Yogurt (88% water)

Snack Concepts for Hydration

Searching for some inspiration on learn how to combine these hydrating meals into your day by day snack rotations?

Listed below are a number of easy concepts to get you began:

Watermelon and cucumber salad

Celery, bell pepper, or carrot sticks with hummus

Greek yogurt with peaches or berries

Cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese

Inexperienced smoothie with apple and pineapple

When to Search Medical Assist

Delicate dehydration can typically be managed at residence, however average to extreme circumstances might require medical consideration (3).

For those who’re experiencing vomiting or diarrhea and are unable to maintain fluids down, it's possible you'll want IV fluids or medical assist to rehydrate correctly (3).

Indicators of extreme dehydration requiring medical consideration can embrace (3):

Confusion

No urination for hours

Speedy respiratory

Speedy heartbeat

Fainting

For those who’re not sure how severe your dehydration is, verify in together with your physician.

At-Danger Teams

Dehydration can have an effect on anybody, however some individuals are at increased threat, together with (3):

Older adults

Infants and toddlers

Folks with sure circumstances, like diabetes

For those who suspect dehydration in these circumstances, don’t wait. Contact a healthcare skilled for recommendation.

Regularly Requested Questions About Rehydration

Are some drinks higher than others for quick rehydration? Medical-grade oral rehydration options are designed to rehydrate shortly and successfully, particularly in circumstances of great fluid loss. For many day-to-day hydration wants, nonetheless, plain water is often enough (2).

How lengthy does it take to rehydrate after being dehydrated? It varies, however gentle dehydration might resolve inside 2 hours of changing misplaced water and electrolytes (9).

Which meals can assist hydration? Watermelon, cucumber, and lettuce are high decisions because of their excessive water content material (5, 24).

Is thirst a great indicator of dehydration? No. Thirst usually kicks in after you’re already barely dehydrated, so don’t wait till you’re parched to hydrate (25).

Do you want electrolytes each time you sweat? Not all the time. For average sweating beneath an hour, water suffices. Longer, extra intense exercises, or train within the warmth, might name for added electrolytes (2).

The Backside Line

Staying hydrated is important for general well being, train efficiency, and well-being (10).

Water is your best option for on a regular basis hydration, however different drinks may also contribute to your day by day fluid consumption (6).

For those who’re feeling thirsty, you may already be dehydrated. So, don’t await thirst to remind you to hydrate (25).

As a substitute, begin making hydration a day by day behavior and incorporate water-rich meals into your snacks and meals.

And once you sweat it out, don’t hesitate to succeed in for sports activities drinks or coconut water as wanted to stability electrolytes and rehydrate like a professional.

Feeling motivated to enhance your hydration recreation? Strive monitoring your water consumption with MyFitnessPal and spot how staying hydrated can assist your general well-being.