Summer is getting closer, temperatures are rising, and it’s the perfect setting to enjoy a few cold beers with friends at the beach or pool. However, although many people believe a refreshing alcoholic drink seems like a good way to quench your thirst, it actually contributes to rapid dehydration.
The refreshing feeling of a cold beer doesn’t last very long and can mask the effects of drinking took much alcohol in hot climates, like dehydration and the increased likelihood of suffering from heatstroke.
It’s important to remember that alcoholic drinks decrease our antidiuretic hormone, which regulates the liquids in our bodies, and an imbalance of this hormone cause dehydration to occur a lot faster and may even lead to heatstroke.
Heat stroke symptoms include nausea, dizziness and confusion, headaches, intense fatigue and these symptoms are commonly confused as being related to stomach illnesses, but in actually fact the cause is much simpler. This phenomenon is brought about by the lack of fluids in our bodies as a result of drinking alcohol when the weather is sweltering.
This doesn’t mean you can’t have a cold beer at the beach, but we must always remember to try and counteract dehydration by drinking, on average, two or three litres of water a day. However, it all depends on your physical composition, as each person is different. And it’s also important to eat healthily with lots of fruit and vegetables that have a high concentration of liquids.
So now that you know the importance of staying hydrated during your summer holidays, you can continue enjoying this fantastic time of the year and your favourite drinks.
