Do You Know Your Sweat Rate?
Sweat rates can vary significantly person to person, at different times of the year, and with various humidity levels.
Just because it is cooler out doesn't mean you can let hydration go by the wayside. While your sweat rate may be lower than during the summer months, it is still important to keep up with hydration and know the signs and symptoms of dehydration. Sweat rates can vary significantly person to person, at different times of the year, and with various humidity levels. If you are in the midst of training, or have an upcoming race, check with your dietitian about doing a sweat test. This information will help us determine the appropriate amount of fluid for you to consume while training and racing. If you are noticing any of the following dehydration symptoms, work on increasing your total fluid consumption and chat with your dietitian about your specific hydration needs. Generally, women should aim for at least 80oz of fluid per day while men should be getting 110oz or more.
Headaches can be caused by a number of factors, dehydration being a common culprit. You may also notice dizziness or lightheadedness as symptoms of dehydration.
Heavy salt content left behind after workouts. Everyone has a different concentration of salt in their sweat, but with dehydration, the salt leaving your pores becomes more concentrated and may accumulate on your skin and clothing.
It is normal to see very yellow urine within the first couple hours of the day, but as the day progresses, your urine should get progressively lighter. By mid day, your urine should be close to clear and stay that color, or get more pale throughout the rest of the day. Dark yellow urine throughout the day likely indicates dehydration.
Muscle cramps when training or at rest are often caused by dehydration and/or an imbalance of electrolytes. As muscle tissue becomes more dehydrated, pulls, strains and tears become more prominent as well.
Thirst is a pretty obvious sign of dehydration, but also pay attention to saliva and skin texture. Thick and ‘”sticky” saliva, and skin tightness and cracking are also indicators of dehydration.