Are you staying hydrated when you’re paddle boarding? Next time you’re out on the water, use the tips in this article to ensure you get enough H2O!
Hydrating our bodies with H2O is necessary no matter what we do throughout our day. However, staying hydrated during a sport like paddle boarding is essential for keeping your energy up and your muscles less fatigued. It might sound easy to keep drinking water while paddling out on the sea, but it can be difficult to remember or actually do when you’re busy enjoying yourself. Remember the tips below to keep yourself from dehydrating during your next adventure.
Don’t Wait To Drink Water Until You’re Dehydrated
You’re only hurting your health if you wait until you feel dehydrated to drink water. Hydrate yourself consistently throughout your paddle boarding trip to avoid the side effects of dehydration. This means you should be drinking water even if you don’t feel thirsty—consider keeping the water bottle in plain sight on your board to remind you to drink it, or you could wear a hydration pack to ensure you don’t lose the bottle.
Avoid Caffeine, but Consider Electrolytes
While caffeine is tempting to drink as a source of energy, you will end up crashing midway through your trip, and you could feel even worse. Ensure you’re not bringing sugary drinks with you with tons of caffeine. Stick with clean water or use a liquid with electrolytes for longer trips.
Hydrate Around Every 20 Minutes
The ideal time to drink water while paddle boarding is about every 20 minutes. This will help thwart dehydration, keep your mind sharp, and keep your muscles lubricated. Even if you’re going for a short paddle, you’re using up energy, and water can help lessen fatigue.
Begin Your Trip Fully Hydrated
To combat dehydration right away, start your trip fully hydrated. This means drinking as much water as possible leading up to your departure. Wake up, drink water, pack up the car, drink water, drive to the beach, drink water. A paddle-boarding mistake would be starting your trip on low energy, so don’t set yourself up for failure!
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
Utilizing a reusable water bottle won’t keep you hydrated—that’s your job—but it can be more useful when you’re in the middle of the water. Use a carbineer to clip your water bottle to your board to keep it from falling into the lake. Reusable bottles provide a tighter seal to keep contaminants out and offer better insulation. Plus, you’re helping our environment by not using single-use plastic.
One of the most important habits you should have when paddle boarding is to stay hydrated. Remember, you should sip your water bottle regularly and never wait until you feel thirsty to take a drink. Hydration is critical, especially on the hotter days when the sun is beating down on you.
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