We are made up of mostly water! Being well hydrated is an easy habit to form that can have a huge impact on your life.

"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed." Hebrews 12:11-13

I believe that the Lord has instilled in us the ability to know and take care of ourselves in order to serve and glorify Him. And when we do, we feel His joy and fulfillment. I believe staying hydrated is such a large part of taking care of ourselves, that it deserves adequate attention. In Hebrews it talks about making straight paths for your feet. Have you ever been dehydrated that you can’t even walk straight? I have and it is no fun. My knees felt weak, I had a headache and the last thing I was thinking about was serving others.

Dehydration can cause:

1. Heat stress or stroke where your body starts to shut down trying to get rid of heat.

2. When the body senses dehydration, it tries to pull water back into the cells, causing them to swell and even rupture. This is most problematic when it happens in the brain.

3. In a dehydrated state, it is easier for your electrolytes to be out of balance, which can lead to involuntary muscle contractions,  sometimes loss of consciousness and or even seizures. (The founder of the company BSX had this happen to him in medical school so he went and designed this.)

4. Kidneys are directly affected by hydration, dehydration can cause a thickening of your blood. Thick blood makes it difficult for your kidneys to remove excess fluids and waste, this can lead to kidney failure.

5. There are many other problems that dehydration can cause such as dizziness, headaches, poor attention span, decreased athletic performance, and even hunger.

Being at your best psychologically means staying alert and clear minded. Keeping up with your hydration does wonders for your thought process and mood.

A good check mark is to have clear urine at least once a day. This will insure you are drinking a good amount of water. Different people need different amounts but here are a few tips to get more water in:

1. Drink a full glass of water before each meal

2. Have water at your desk, in your car, or with you at home so that you can grab it easily to sip on

3. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning helps bring you out of sleep dehydration

4. Bring a water bottle when you go out into hot or humid environments

5. Take water with you when you exercise

For more detailed information, Gatorade has rounded up some of the best in the exercise physiology field to speak on this issue.