Your body is dehydrating right now! Even as you’re reading this.
It dehydrates faster, particularly during a physical activity like Yoga. Water drains out of you with sweat. And even while breathing! You lose water with every breath out (or pee: let’s not shy away from it).
Such an insensible and unnoticeable water loss typically accounts for 450 ml daily. However, it can reach as many as 3 liters per hour (!) during vigorous physical exercises in a hotter environment (wink to hot Yoga).
So, what are the options?
You can’t exactly stop sweating, breathing, peeing, and other natural processes!
Instead, you can learn how to hydrate properly for your Yoga class.
Keep reading for the ultimate Yoga hydration guide, learn about the risks caused by dehydration to some tried-and-tested methods for keeping a hydration balance during Yogic practices.
This is another great article written by Alejandra Leyva HARO Expert & Content Creator. Enjoy! And get rehydrating, Emma and Carla.
Dehydration During Yoga: Dangers to Beware Of
You should stand on guard of your health in order not to meet these potential repercussions of hydration deficiency aka dehydration:
- Anxiety
- Exhaustion
- Joint damage
- Muscle cramps
- Heat stroke
- Swoon
Reading that list is surely inspiring you to start hydrating for Yoga?
If not yet, consider this. Dehydration is not only dangerous for your health, it’s also life-threatening.
Your body consists of 60% of water. But what happens if you lose 5–8% of it?
Fatigue + dizziness.
And what if you lose 15–25%?
Well, ultimately this leads to death. You can read more about it in Frances Ashcroft’s Life at the Extremes.
Meanwhile, keep reading to see how much fluid you should intake to eliminate all these life perils and remain hydrated throughout your yoga routine.
What Is Optimal Hydration for Yogis and Yoginis?
Let’s first find out how much water to drink a day in general, without considering your activity level, age, weight, diet, weather, or other factors. A rule of thumb for women is to consume 2.2 liters of total fluid daily. It is 3 liters for men.
What about nourishing your body with fluids when you practice Yoga? Do you need to double or triple that amount?
The first thing you should do is to listen to your body and mind, of course. However, sometimes, our bodies and minds lie (yup, that happens). Secondly, a golden rule of a good yoga teacher is always to stress the importance of hydration for newbies. That is why you might need to drink more water before, in the middle of, and after your workout, even without an apparent thirst.
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Before Yoga
It would be best if you started practicing yoga in an adequately hydrated state. For that, drink 500 ml of water or other liquid two hours before your workout and around 100 ml half an hour before it.
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During Yoga
The debate among Yoga trainees, as well as among Yoga teachers, is still on: should you drink water or not during your practice?
We recommend from 50 ml to 200 ml of fluid every quarter of an hour, somewhere between poses if you feel thirsty. Or you may drink more often but in tiny sips.
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After Yoga
One word: rehydration.
Rehydrate yourself with at least 600 ml of liquid after class.
Mind: don’t overindulge in it. Avoid consuming large quantities of fluid in short periods.
On that topic, is it possible to drink too much water?
Actually, it is. And it’s called water intoxication. Sometimes, it can be fatal. For example, four bottles of water in 20 minutes led Ashley Summers, a Mum of two, to death on vacation.
What’s a safe amount of fluids to drink to stay hydrated for yoga?
Answer: limit fluid intake during heavy sweating to 1–1.5 liter/hour.
And also, check some other yoga hydration hacks below.
6 Best Tips to Hydrate Right for Yoga
Incorporate these into your yoga hydration strategy.
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Become best friends with your water bottle
Where’s my favourite water bottle?
If you have also promised your bottle you’ll love it even when it becomes shrivelled and ancient, don’t leave it alone among the debris of your bag or somewhere under your bed (we’ve been there). Refill it every time you prepare for your offline or online Yoga classes.
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Set reminders to drink
You should get more H2O into you regularly. Do you remember?
If you’re a forgetter (and who isn’t!), you definitely need one of these water trackers and reminder apps:
- Aqualert
- WaterMinder
- HydroCoach
- iHydrate
- Waterllama
- Waterlogged
They can help you calculate how much fluid you actually need, track your hydration level, and gently remind you to fuel your body throughout the day, not only during Yogic exercises.
Not interested?
Then, you can just add “H2O” to your schedule in your daily planner and create a list of reminders to never forget about hydrating yourself during yoga.
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Try out different waters
Why not give yourself a shot of electrolyte-infused waters and drinks?
What are those?
These are fluids containing electrolytes – minerals with an electric charge. They are calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, and others. Excessive sweat losses due to high-intensity, prolonged workouts in hot conditions can cause an electrolyte/water imbalance. Such a disturbance in electrolytes can devastate your body and, in rare cases, can be fatal.
Refresh and invigorate your body for effective yoga with –
- Maple water
- Coconut water cocktail
- Watermelon water
- Smoothies (banana, strawberry, green mango smoothie, or anything you wish)
- Lime or lemon-enhanced water
- Electrolyte mixes and packs
A mixed pack of electrolytes can help you achieve fast-acting hydration. Similarly, with anything from the above list, you will rehydrate faster and replenish the essential electrolytes lost with sweat.
As an alternative to those, you can fight off dehydration with CBD or cannabidiol water. CBD water is made of water with minimal amounts of cannabidiol added to it. It keeps you hydrated while offering other benefits as you exercise or work out: better focus, stress reduction, and more energy. Moreover, it helps reduce inflammation and creates a soothing effect when muscles are sore.
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Steer away from the so-called “dehydrators”
One of the must-follow Yoga hydration tips is to cut out dehydrating drinks, aka “dehydrators.” They act as diuretics and promote dehydration of the body.
The most harmful ones are those that contain:
- Alcohol
- Sugar
- And/or caffeine
Forty-nine studies prove caffeinated energy drinks, high-caffeine tea, and wine increase urination. So, in case you prefer alcoholic, caffeinated, or sugary drinks, your body dehydrates faster. And what if this disastrous trio gets united in one drink? Mildly speaking, your toilet will be happy to see you returning to it again and again, as you will have to break your Yoga class and then constantly refill yourself with more water.
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Pick breathable clothes
What to wear to a workout not to feel like an onion in a greenhouse and keep your body from overheating and dehydrating?
Breathable and comfy clothing is one of the first and foremost tips every Yoga beginner should know. Just to name a few fabrics with good venting and breathability:
- Cotton
- Linen
- Bamboo
- Nylon
- Merino wool
You can give preference to sustainable and ethical clothing that also lets your body breathe freely during yoga.
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Practice Yoga poses that decrease body temperature
Did you know that certain Yoga poses and asanas have a higher potential than others to cool down your body naturally and prevent it from dehydrating?
Here’s a list of them:
- Corpse Pose (Savasana)
- Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)
- Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
- Lion Pose (Simhasana)
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
- Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
These positions can help you lower your body heat and combat dehydration.
Stay Hydrated Before, During, and After Yoga
Got the best hacks to water yourself up and hydrate your path to Yoga success?
It’s high time to sign up for a free yoga class with MerryBody or select your MerryBody plan to enjoy a beautiful mix of Yoga and Meditation classes and celebrate who you are, just like thousands of women around the globe do when they start merrymaking with Emma & Carla.
P.S. Don’t forget your beloved water bottle