How to: Hydrate Like a Boss!
As a hot yoga studio, you better believe we are serious about hydration! Hydration is important for SO many functions of your body — You know this! What you may not know though is if you are showing up to class a couple times a week or more, you are losing a significant amount of sweat… and turns out, your sweat is not just water!
So let’s chat about how to tell if you’re dehydrated + how to hydrate effectively for class:
Signs of dehydration often include fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramping, headaches, brain fog, nausea, rapid heart rate and fainting. If you are experiencing any of these in class, during a workout or in daily life, your body is trying to tell you something!
HOW TO HYDRATE:
Hydration is an all-day event (Sorry, guzzling water right before class is a rookie mistake😅)
In the simplest terms, hydrate to thirst throughout the day. If you are practicing with us, PRE-hydration and POST-hydration with electrolytes is the best way to ensure your body is getting what it needs.
Where to start: 1-2 hours before class, drink16-20 oz of water supplemented with electrolytes
USE ELECTROLYTES! Why?
When you sweat, you are losing more than just water! You are losing things like sodium, potassium and magnesium. These components are crucial for proper muscle and nerve function, sustained energy, blood pressure and pH. Some of us lose more of these than others, but we all need to replenish for proper fluid balance. Just replenishing with water doesn’t accomplish this.
Based on scientific studies, the recommended daily electrolyte intake is:
-4–6 g sodium
-3.5–5 g potassium
-400–600 mg magnesium
-1 g calcium
If you are extra active, sweat often (looking at you, hot yogi ) or are on a keto/low carb diet, you may very well need more than the recommended amount. So go ahead and experiment with it!
ELECTROLYTE BRANDS WE LOVE:
LMNT - IYKYK! Salty, sweet. Zero sugar or artificial colors/fillers. Perfect electrolyte ratio for absorption. Head to drinklmnt.com for the science!
Superieur- subtly sweet, zero sugar, made with plant extracts + sea minerals. Head to superieurelectrolytes.com for more info.
Other quality brands: Redmond Life, Ultima.
Looking to make your own electrolyte drink? Here are a couple homemade recipes to try:
1 quart liquid (green tea, herbal tea, coconut water, or plain water)
⅛ -1/4 tsp Himalayan salt (or sea salt)
1 tsp calcium magnesium powder
1-2 TBSP raw honey or maple syrup (or stevia to taste)
LMNT’s homemade version:
16–32 oz water (makes 1 serving)
½ teaspoon salt provides about 1 gram sodium
400 mg potassium chloride powder provides about 200 mg potassium
¼ teaspoon of magnesium malate provides about 60 mg magnesium
2 tablespoons lime juice (you can switch this out for fresh berries, squeezed orange juice or cubed watermelon)
Dash of stevia, to taste
References:
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2007/02000/Exercise_and_Fluid_Replacement.22.aspx
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6181280/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786912/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22110105/
For more information about how to calculate your personal sweat rate and studies regarding sweat loss during hot and humid conditions, visit: https://science.drinklmnt.com/did-you-know/sweat-rate/