We are constantly reminded in the summer months and early fall to stay hydrated, but It's easy to forget about hydrating when it's cold outside, you don't feel hot and sweaty and many don’t associate cold weather with dehydration. Unfortunately the reality is you're still losing moisture, both through sweating (sweat evaporates quickly in cold, dry air) and breathing. Yes, breathing… when you exhale the air from your lungs, you probably notice it in the form of a small cloud, that cloud contains moisture from your body.
Small levels of dehydration lead to significant decrease in physical and mental performance. So as an athlete please remember to constantly monitor your level of hydration, and don’t wait until you fell thirsty to drink something, because this could be far too late. The classic rule of thumb is to keep an eye on the color of your urine. Clear is ideal, less clear not so ideal and dark urine is bad and often means you're dehydrated.
Tips to stay hydrated
· Drink something after waking up (milk, orange juice, water, etc…)
· Drink throughout the day (carry a water bottle to class)
· Drink even though you may not be thirsty
· Avoid energy drinks before practice
· Limit alcohol consumption
