How to Rehydrate Fast (7 Tips)

Quick Scoop

• Hydration is an essential part of your everyday health and survival.
• Your fluid balance is influenced by things like sweating, excretion, and normal bodily processes. It’s important to replenish those losses.
• Plain water is best, but certain situations may also benefit from adding electrolytes to help support hydration and immune function.^†
• Adding foods with a high water content can also contribute to your daily fluid needs.

When you think about hydration, you might think about the standard “drink eight glasses of water a day” advice that’s commonly given. While this isn’t a bad start, there’s a bit more nuance to staying hydrated. Ensuring that your body has plenty of water is essential for your health and well-being.

Nature Made is committed to health and wellness. This encompasses many areas of your everyday lifestyle, including hydration and its key role in your immune health and overall wellness. That’s why we’re digging into the science behind staying hydrated and tips for how you can rehydrate fast.^†

The Science of Hydration

It’s hard to imagine, but your body is made up of around 75% water. This waxes and wanes, of course, with factors like bowel and urinary habits and sweating. Your fluid and electrolyte status can be influenced by situations where you are not feeling your best, and how much water you’re getting through foods and beverages. [1]

Why is hydration important? Well, having enough fluid in your body is important for the following things: [2] [3]

• Regulating your body temperature
• Supporting healthy mood
• Transporting nutrients to your cells
• Supporting the functions of your organs
• Supporting healthy sleep patterns

When you’re dehydrated, this means that your loss of water has exceeded your water replacement. In other words, as your water stores are being used up for everyday functions of your health, they’re not being replenished adequately.

Learn More: Food and Mood

Situations that May Cause Dehydration in a Healthy Individual

Dehydration may result from not restoring your fluids as they’re used up. [4] A common scenario is when someone is spending a lot of time outside being active in the heat — or if you frequent the sauna. This generally leads to a high rate of sweating and fluid loss through the skin.

Symptoms of dehydration in a healthy individual can vary depending on the cause, but some signs to look for include: [4]

• Excessive thirst
• Fatigue
• Headache not related to disease
• Dark urine color

If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, drink some water and consider reaching out to your healthcare physician to discuss your hydration plan.

How to Rehydrate Fast  

When you need to fill your body’s water stores quickly, where should you turn?

For normal hydration needs, there are everyday tips to consider.

Tip 1: Drink plain water

Want the cheapest and most easily accessible way to rehydrate your body? Look no further than regular water.

Water from your tap, fridge filter, or grocery store contains no calories or sugar. It’s the best option for general rehydration purposes throughout the day. If you need to mix it up a little bit, try adding fresh lemon or lime wedges for a subtle flavor.

How much water should you drink a day? General guidelines are around 15 cups for men and 11 cups for women.

Tip 2: Add electrolytes

When your body loses fluid, it can lead to an imbalance in electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals that are naturally present in your body fluid. They help support your immune system through hydration. Some of the main electrolytes include Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and Chloride. It’s important for your daily diet to get enough of these electrolytes. Balanced electrolytes are also important for immune function. ^† [5]

All that to say, some situations may benefit from the addition of electrolytes to your water. This is a simple and convenient way to help restore some that are lost during exercise, sweating as well as to support healthy immune function.

For more ideas, see our post on how to get electrolytes.

Learn More: Top 3 Benefits of Electrolytes & Why They're Important

Tip 3: Choose foods with a high water content

Beverages aren’t the only places to get water. You can also incorporate a variety of foods in your diet that contribute to your total fluid intake. The best options are certain fruits and vegetables. [6]

Some of the fruits and veggies with a higher water content include:

• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Melon
• Berries
• Oranges
• Grapes
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Spinach
• Watermelon

Soups and smoothies are also great answers to how to get hydrated fast. For instance, blend together a variety of frozen fruits and greens with water or soy milk for a tasty and refreshing smoothie.

Learn More: Energizing Easy Breakfast Smoothies

Additional Tips to Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is a matter of checking in with yourself and practicing habits that can keep thirst at bay. Keep these tips in mind as you go about your day:

Tip 1: Start your day with a glass of water

Before you get too far into your routine in the morning, take a moment to drink a glass of water. After all, your body hasn’t had anything to eat or drink all night. This is a great opportunity to kickstart your day’s hydration.

Tip 2: Keep a water bottle with you

Have you ever noticed how you’re the thirstiest on the days you forget your water bottle? Prevent thirst by keeping a water bottle with you as part of your daily routine. Purchase a reusable one that you like and is easy to carry with you.

Tip 3: Monitor your hydration status

The best way to evaluate how well-hydrated you are is to notice the color of your urine. The darker it is, the less hydrated you are. The ideal color for urine that indicates adequate hydration is a pale yellow (clear can indicate over-hydration).

Tip 4: Use an app to track intake

If you’re an app person, consider downloading a tool to help you monitor your fluids. For instance, maybe you have a goal to drink a certain amount of water before noon and this can help you stay on schedule.

Stay Hydrated and Healthy 

Hydration is essential for life. Maintaining your body’s fluid needs is a key component of supporting immune function and overall health. The best way to do this is with plain water, but you might consider adding fruit slices or electrolytes for extra flavor and benefit.^†

Try to keep a water bottle with you to sip throughout the day. You can also get some water (and an array of nutrients) by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. The best way to avoid dehydration is to prevent it in the first place. Consider these tips and tools for keeping hydration front of mind.

Learn More About Hydration

• How Much Water Should You Drink A Day? The Health Benefits Of Hydration
• How To Reduce Body Heat 101
• Can Caffeine Make You Tired?

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

1. Brinkman JE, Dorius B, Sharma S. Physiology, Body Fluids. [Updated 2023 Jan 27]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482447/
2. The importance of hydration. Harvard School of Public Health. Available from: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/the-importance-of-hydration/
3. Masento NA, Golightly M, Field DT, Butler LT, van Reekum CM. Effects of hydration status on cognitive performance and mood. Br J Nutr. 2014;111(10):1841-1852. doi:10.1017/S0007114513004455
4. Taylor K, Jones EB. Adult Dehydration. [Updated 2022 Oct 3]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/
5. Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; July 24, 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31082167/
6. Slavin JL, Lloyd B. Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Adv Nutr. 2012;3(4):506-516. Published 2012 Jul 1. doi:10.3945/an.112.002154