LOUISVILLE, Ky. — With record-breaking heat waves hitting areas all across the country, it's important to stay hydrated, especially if you find yourself outside for hours in the sun.
The Louisville Water Company has some great tips on how to tell if you're dehydrated, and what to do to stay healthy on hot summer days.
A simple way to tell if you are dehydrated is by the color of your urine. The darker it is, the more dehydrated you are.
Louisville Water made a handy Pure Tap Hydration Chart to help you figure out how dehydrated you are based on the color of your urine, and how much water you should drink to get your body hydrated again.
Other signs of dehydration include:
- Dry mouth, tongue, and cracked lips
- Extreme thirst
- Dizziness or headaches,
- Trouble concentrating or mental confusion
- Fatigue
The best way to stay hydrated throughout the day is to drink before you're thirsty. According to the Louisville Water Company, your body has lost up to five cups of water by the time you feel thirsty.
And if you feel like you're hungry, try drinking water first. Sometimes it's easy to confuse the two, and oftentimes people will eat instead of giving their body what it really needs.
To keep the environment safe and motivate you to drink more, get a reusable water bottle that you can fill, drink, and repeat throughout the day.
If you're working outside in the heat, make sure you're drinking enough water to replace what you lose when you sweat. The Louisville Water Company advises you to drink 8 oz. (one cup) every 15-20 minutes if you're outside or exercising.
Water helps maintain your body's normal temperature, lubricates your joints, and eliminates body waste through perspiration and urination.
It's important to keep yourself hydrated every day, especially during the summer months when extreme heat is expected. And don't forget, your pets need to stay hydrated too!
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