The importance of hydration

Staying Hydrated for Heart Health

15 January 2019

Drinking plenty of water is one of the most important habits you should adopt – especially when it comes to your heart health! Whether you're playing sport, travelling or just sitting at your work desk, staying hydrated is critical for your overall everyday health.

Keeping the body hydrated helps the heart pump blood more efficiently through the blood vessels to the muscles. Interestingly, the human body is mostly made up of water (it makes up about 60% of your body weight), which even includes major organs - like the heart.

If you don’t drink enough water, you are at risk of becoming dehydrated. More specifically, dehydration may affect your heart and can:

• Make your blood thicker – this can cause the heart to work harder to pump blood around the body
• Drop your blood pressure – this could lead to feeling light-headed and even cause fainting

Did you know you’re already dehydrated when you start to feel thirsty? To avoid this, here are a few simple tips to stay hydrated:

1. Keep it visible – always take a bottle of water with you when leaving the house or keep a glass at your work station
2. Give it flavour – try adding some lemon or fruit to your water for that extra zing! That way you feel like you’re constantly drinking something different.
3. Set reminders – set an alarm on your phone as a reminder to drink water regularly
4. Drink before, during and after exercise – when exercising, you’re constantly losing water through perspiration. Therefore, you need to drink more water to replenish the fluid you’ve lost.