Doctor Gives Advice On How To Prevent Dehydration This Summer

A Medical expert suggested that dehydration can be prevented using the simplest ways.

Taking water bottles everywhere has become a habit for Dr. Bonnie Simmons, the chair of ProHEALTH’s Urgent Care -- a wellness provider. She revealed that she would always bring a water bottle along with her to meetings, speaking engagements, and when seeing patients.

Dr. Simmons said she would always make it a point to take sips whenever there is an opportunity to do so. “That is a challenge now because we’re nervous. We’re nervous to take the mask off and to drink liquids,” the Urgent Care chair told Fox News.

Dr. Simmons offered some tips on how to stay hydrated in the ensuing days, especially since the scorching summer heat has started creeping up. She narrated that typical warning signs of dehydration include a feeling of tiredness, having a rapid pulse, and headache. In some instances, a person may feel jittery, with his mouth feeling parched.

The doctor emphasized that, if you start feeling this way, you need to examine the amount of water you consume every day, as it might not be enough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explained that water plays a crucial role in helping the body regulate temperature, as well as to remove waste, protect the spinal cord, and cushion joints.

Thirst Signals

The Urgent Care chair also said that it might be possible for anyone to miss thirst signals sent out by the brain. She said that one of the best practices is to take a sip of water after three hours. “I think drinking and walking, drinking, and working, that’s where the challenge is,” Dr. Simmons said. She added there is a need to separate these activities.

She also revealed that age plays a factor in dehydration. According to Simmons, the children and the elderly tend to dehydrate more rapidly. In some cases, the brain’s mechanism responsible for signaling thirst may have diminished in the elderly. She added that younger people may find themselves thirsty upon waking up in the morning while the elderly in the same situation may not experience the same feeling.

More Woes

With the threat of coronavirus infection still hanging in the air, there is a need to wear face coverings to minimize its spread. However, Dr. Simmons stated adding another layer of cover to the skin can exacerbate the threat of dehydration during the summer season.

As for the younger generation, parents are often more concerned about their child’s safety by ensuring they wear masks during playtime as opposed to reminding them about liquid intake. While this is understandable, as per Dr. Simmons, parents should ensure their children get plenty of water and also advised having them wear light and white clothing to combat the heat.