Don’t let the excitement of travel make you forget the importance of staying hydrated while traveling. Adequate hydration is your travel partner that ensures you have the energy to enjoy the flavors of your journey.

According to USGS, 73% of the human brain, 79% of muscles, 83% of lungs, 73% of heart, 31% of bones, and 79% of kidneys are composed of water. Overall, 60% of our body is composed of water, which indicates that water is the essential and foremost component of our life. 

An adequate water intake should be a part of our daily routine, not only to quench our thirst but to prevent dehydration and provide various health benefits. Similarly, it is critical to ensure hydration when you’re out for an excursion. 

Top tips and tricks to stay hydrated while traveling:

The importance of staying hydrated while traveling can not be neglected, especially when you’re exposed to changing weather conditions while traveling. Insufficient water intake can cause dehydration. Dehydration is a very serious problem, as it can lead to severe headaches, fatigue, and a general feeling of discomfort, which can ruin your journey. However, it is essential to prioritize adequate hydration while traveling.

Here are a few tips for staying hydrated while traveling:

• Carry a refillable water bottle:

Before planning a long trip, pack some good sources for staying hydrated throughout your journey. Invest in a good quality, reusable water bottle that can be easily refilled during your trip. It’ll be even better if the bottle has a built-in filter so that you won’t be concerned about the quality of drinking water.  Some bottles are even insulated, which keeps your water cold or warm for quite a few hours. Try to avoid hydration mistakes. 

• Set reminders:

If you are traveling and away from home for more than a few hours, drink a glass of water before leaving or before starting your trip to stay well-hydrated. Later, use your phone or any travel app to set a regular reminder to drink water. 

It is easy to forget about drinking water when you are distracted by your surroundings or busy with other activities. 

• Pack hydrating snacks:

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that 20 percent of your daily fluid intake comes from the diet you consume. Most people don’t prefer drinking too much water as well, especially when traveling. It is best to pack some hydrating snacks while traveling to avoid dehydration. 

Foods like watermelon, cucumber, oranges, and nuts have high water content and can keep you hydrated. Packing some water-rich fruits and vegetables in your bag can help you stay hydrated while traveling.

• Appropriate dressing:

It is important to dress according to the atmospheric temperature. It plays a critical role in maintaining the body’s hydration level. In hot weather, wear loose-fitting, breathable clothing to properly regulate your body temperature and reduce the risk of overheating and over-sweating. Overheating and sweating can cause dehydration. 

• Avoid beverages:

Prefer drinking water over other beverages like soda, coffee, or alcohol as these beverages can be diuretics. Diuretics are those substances that increase urination. The more the frequency of urination will be, the more water will be excreted out of your body. If you are drinking less water and excreting more, it’ll disturb the balance of your body’s water reservoirs and ultimately cause dehydration. Avoid drinking other beverages while traveling and prefer plain water.

Also Read: What Is The Best Time To Drink Water In A Day?

• Drink water with chia seeds:

Chia seeds are a great source of hydration for our body. They possess hydrophilic properties, so when you add chia seeds to a glass of water, they absorb a large amount of water. Eating them can help you stay hydrated for a long time while traveling. 

Carry a pack of chia seeds in your suitcase while traveling, and add a tablespoon of it to a glass of water; drink it to stay hydrated while traveling.

• Listen to your body signs: –

While traveling, it is very important to listen to your body’s signs. Body signs are the signals the body gives you by showing different symptoms. For example, when you have a dry mouth, sunken eyes, and dizziness, it shows your body is severely dehydrated. Drink water immediately to restore hydration level. Don’t ignore these signals or wait till you are extremely thirsty.

Check the color of your urine. If it is pale yellow, you are likely well-hydrated. Dark yellow or amber urine may indicate dehydration. Immediately drink 2-3 glasses of water and stay adequately hydrated. 

Also read: Cloudy Urine: Causes, Treatments, And What Does It Mean

Why is hydration important while traveling?

Hydration is of paramount importance while traveling. Our body is quite sensitive in terms of water balance. However, we need to maintain a balance between water intake and water excretion. Water is excreted during urination, sweating, breathing, or even digestion. The water loss increases when you are traveling, especially if you walk for a longer period or travel to an area with a different climate.  

When this balance gets disturbed, as water loss from our body is increased, but intake is less, the problem begins here. You may start to feel headache, dizziness, and lethargy, which indicates that you are dehydrated and you need to drink water immediately.

Hydration is of utmost importance while traveling for several reasons like:

It maintains energy levels:

If you are exposed to different climatic conditions while traveling, you may have dehydration. Especially during long flights, hot and humid weather, high altitudes, or increased physical activity (like bike riding, walking on foot, or hiking). They can lead to excessive fluid loss through sweating or increased breathing rate.  Dehydration further leads to a significant drop in energy levels, making you feel tired and lethargic.

While traveling, everyone wants to enjoy it to its fullest. But if you are low on energy levels, how will you enjoy your trip?

So, it is imperative to maintain your hydration level to get the most out of your trip by exploring different places. Staying well-hydrated helps maintain your energy and enthusiasm throughout your journey.

It supports immune health:

Good hydration while traveling keeps your immune system healthy. Traveling can expose you to different new environments, with maybe the potential unhygienic conditions and germs that your body was not exposed to earlier. In this condition, your immune system must act efficiently against those germs to protect you from foreign invaders. 

Adequate hydration maintains the functioning of your immune system. A healthy immune system can prevent you from illness,  allowing you to stay healthy during your trip.

It improves cognitive functions:

Hydration is critical for cognitive functions. Severe dehydration can cause dizziness, confusion, and cognitive impairment. Severe dehydration can impair your cognitive functions, including your memory and concentration. When traveling, you must stay hydrated as you might need to navigate unknown locations, read maps, and make some travel plans. Hydration will help you concentrate better. 

If your concentration and decision power are impaired due to dehydration, you might be unable to do all these efficiently. Staying hydrated helps you stay sharp, active, and concentrated and make the most of your trip.

It maintains digestive health:

Proper hydration aids in digestion and prevents GI-related issues like constipation, which is a common concern for travelers due to changes in their diet and daily routine.

Proper hydration supports the secretion of digestive enzymes that ensure proper digestion of food and prevent gastric issues. By drinking enough water, you can help maintain regular bowel movements and overall digestive comfort. 

It prevents muscle cramps:

Muscle cramps are one of the painful symptoms associated with dehydration. If a person is engaging in physical activity like hiking, biking, or exploring on foot, it can be severely problematic. All these activities cause dehydration, leading to imbalances in essential electrolytes like sodium and potassium, which are critical for normal muscle functioning.

When these electrolytes balance gets disturbed, the chances of muscle cramps increase. By having drinks to stay hydrated while traveling and using electrolyte supplements, you can maintain your electrolyte balance and optimum body functioning.

Why Should You Always Have Electrolytes While Traveling?

If you are feeling dizzy while traveling, take out an electrolyte powder from your backpack, dilute it in the water, drink it, and you are good to go!

But how does this instantly help you get rid of headaches and dizziness and make you feel comfortable? It is all about the magic of electrolytes.

Electrolytes are the essential minerals that regulate various bodily functions. They maintain the fluid balance in your body and regulate the health of your heart, muscles, and digestive system. 

You might be thinking, Why is it particularly important to carry electrolytes while traveling?

Travelers are usually involved in physical activities and strenuous journeys and are exposed to different climate changes. All these factors cause increased fluid loss and ultimately disturb your body’s electrolyte balance. Increased body fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance lead to dizziness, lethargy, and many other symptoms. 

To ensure a safe journey, consider carrying electrolyte supplements like Healthy stripe electrolyte powder while traveling. 

Benefits of Electrolytes: 

The following are the benefits of electrolytes while traveling: 

• Electrolytes like sodium and potassium help your body retain water, reducing the risk of dehydration.
• Depleted electrolytes can lead to muscle cramps and fatigue, So having electrolyte supplements will help normalize muscle functioning and nerve signaling.
• Consuming electrolytes helps your body cope with excessive heat, especially while traveling to hot climates.
• Electrolytes also maintain your blood pressure at a normal level while traveling.
• Electrolytes can help alleviate some of the symptoms of jet lag, such as fatigue and headaches.
• Electrolytes contribute to overall bodily comfort by helping to maintain proper fluid balance and the normal functioning of organs and systems.

Overuse of electrolytes while traveling must be avoided. If you feel thirsty and observe some signs of dehydration, just have a drink with electrolytes only one time. Later, if you feel thirsty, go with drinking normal water only because if you consume too much electrolytes, it may worsen the condition, causing nausea, vomiting, and severe thirst.

Conclusion

The overall importance of hydration while traveling can not be neglected. It is the cornerstone of a successful travel experience, ensuring you make the most of your journey with good health.

Traveling can significantly affect our hydration level. From being exposed to changing climates and different altitudes to increased physical activity and potential disruptions to our daily routines, it can lead to dehydration. Which, in turn, can result in a range of issues like fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, and other health-related problems.

While traveling, one must have proper sources for staying hydrated throughout the journey, like having reusable water bottles, drinking enough plain water or water with chia seeds or ORS, and avoiding coffee, alcohol, and other beverages that may cause excessive urination. Electrolyte supplements like Healthy stripe electrolyte powder can also help you maintain electrolyte balance and prevent dehydration while traveling.