Staying Hydrated in the Winter
This topic has been on my mind because it is cold outside and I have been slacking on staying hydrated. Staying hydrated in the winter while participating in cold weather sports can be difficult because of lack of thirst and also not wanting to stop and drink when it’s cold. In order to stay hydrated in the winter it is not enough to drink only while participating in sports but also the day before, the morning of, during and after. Dehydration can be happen quickly in cold weather and at higher altitude because the air is drier. Affects of dehydration in the cold are impaired performance, fatigue, muscle cramping, shortness of breath, higher risk of hypothermia, frostbite, and altitude sickness. Studies have shown that just 5% dehydration can cause up to a 30% decline in performance.
“Cold and dry- perfect place to get dehydrated..”
The main issue with staying hydrated is that thirst can’t be used as an accurate judgement of how much to drink. If you are thirsty than your are already dehydrated and it becomes very difficult to catch up- especially on a long demanding day or multi day outing. I learned this the hard way on Denali. I didn’t believe my partner when he kept telling me I wasn’t drinking enough. I told him I was drinking plenty and I wasn’t thirsty so stop bothering me about it. I paid with altitude sickness.
“Denali”
I have been amazed at the difference when I start a day fully hydrated versus slightly dehydrated. I used to not believe it would make much of a difference – but it is huge. It is the difference between an awesome day out, feeling good and enjoying the mountains versus spending the entire day in survival mode, suffering and wondering why I ever thought whatever I am doing was a good idea! I don’t want to tell you how much you should drink in a day because it is different for everyone, it depends on activity level, the altitude you are at, and body differences. The best way to tell if you are adequately hydrated is to look at the color of your urine – it should be straw colored to almost clear. A good rule is to drink as much as you think you should and then a little bit more. I usually try to drink a fair amount on days that I don’t do anything – ie – “rest days”, hyperhydrate the day before anything big, and drink on a regular basis all day during the activity and then continue to hydrate after the activity.
“Hydrated and having a great day skiing!”
In Extreme Alpinism Mark Twight suggests that it is better to drink small amounts frequently during the course of the day- in other words use a camelback or dromedary bag. Personally I’m not a big fan of camelbacks especially in the winter. I have had good luck with drinking large amounts whenever I or my partner stops. This takes slightly more discipline but I actually end up drinking more this way because I find it easier to monitor how much I am drinking and adjust accordingly.
One of the best ways to make sure you drink plenty in the winter is to figure out what drinks you like. Most people aren’t too thrilled with drinking cold drinks when it’s cold outside. The best drinks in the winter are warm/hot drinks. For day trips I usually take a thermos of hot tea (shorter days), or hot sports drink (longer days). On multiday trips a thermos is too heavy so I fill all of my water bottles with hot water and add my beverage of choice.
Ok. Now I need to start drinking something. I’ve been drinking coffee while writing this- not sure how much it is actually contributing to my total hydration.
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