What ER doctors want you to know about extreme heat

There’s been a push in recent years, especially among millennials, to cut back on alcohol. In fact, a recent poll by market research firm Morning Consult estimated that 19 percent of adults report participating in “Dry January,” in which they abstain from alcohol for the first month of the year. Hangovers can be incredibly debilitating and can cause a range of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.

Kidney damage:

• Temperatures are at record highs right now for many areas around the world experiencing their summer months.
• Whew, that’s not how you meant to start the Thanksgiving festivities.
• Some cocktails can take a toll on your hydration because of additional ingredients.
• If you or someone you know is struggling with their alcohol intake, just know that we’re here to help you.
• Yes, rehydration is one of the best ways to reduce hangover symptoms.

Alcohol interferes with the brain’s ability to control body temperature. If you drink alcohol on a hot day, your body won’t be able to adjust and control your internal temperature effectively, which increases the risk of heat stroke. While it can be tempting to consume alcohol on a hot summer day, the combination of high temperatures and alcohol can cause considerable fluid loss and dehydration. Using electrolytes while drinking alcohol may be especially beneficial for individuals with high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues. Consuming a meal containing plenty of healthy fats before drinking buffers alcohol absorption and allows more time to process and detoxify alcohol, which helps prevent dehydration. While drinking plenty of water is crucial to compensate for the fluid loss caused by alcohol, water alone will not hydrate you.

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Additionally, our tap water is heavily processed and filtered, leaving most of the minerals behind. Luckily, it’s easy to prevent these symptoms with a few lifestyle changes. The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/10-best-alcohol-addiction-recovery-books/ only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.

Should You Drink Alcohol to Stay Hydrated?

Learning to listen to your body, recognizing the signs of dehydration, and drinking plenty of water during the day can also ensure you’re meeting your fluid needs. Interestingly, a review of 49 studies even reported that caffeinated energy drinks, wine, and spirits can all significantly increase urine production (14). “The higher the alcohol content a drink has (or is absorbed in your body), the greater the diuretic and dehydration effect.”

Factors that Increase Alcohol-Related Dehydration

This is because alcohol is a diuretic, which is a substance that induces diuresis or additional urine output. Rehydrating after consuming alcohol helps alleviate dehydration and can reduce the likelihood of a hangover. If you’re showing any signs of heat-related illness, the best thing you can do is get into a cool environment and hydrate — quickly. This may be as simple as hopping does red wine dehydrate you into a car, cranking up the air conditioner and drinking some cool fluid. Heat stroke, which can be caused by exposure to extreme heat or strenuous exertion in high temperatures, is less common but much more dangerous. The hallmark signs are a core body temperature above 104 degrees; and confusion, seizures or other mental status changes in the context of extreme heat exposure.

Rehydrate With Small Sips

Cold carbonated drinks may be more thirst-quenching, potentially causing you to drink less water. Alcohol dehydrates you, and it’s crucial to drink plenty of water and replenish electrolytes after consuming alcoholic beverages to restore optimal fluid balance. Although alcohol has no health benefits, many people enjoy drinking beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages, and there are several ways you can minimize or avoid alcohol dehydration. When consuming alcoholic beverages, it’s important to limit your intake and stay hydrated by drinking water between cocktails. Not taking in adequate amounts of fluid during the day and making certain dietary choices can increase your risk for dehydration.

• A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that can affect any part of the urinary system, including the bladder, kidneys, ureters, or urethra.
• And if you need help with that, I’ve included some resources at the end of this article, including a quiz to help you assess your current drinking habits.
• Before asking for a cocktail or glass of wine on your next flight, understand what combining alcohol and altitudes might do to your body.
• There are various products available at your local pharmacy or grocery store designed to do this.
• Condiments, like salad dressings, ketchup, and soy sauce, can be an unexpected source of sodium in your meals.

This is because it can begin to affect organs and their function, skin health and overall well-being. For this reason, you must look out for the signs of alcohol dehydration and take a proactive approach to maintaining appropriate hydration levels before, during and after consuming alcohol. Drinking plenty of water before, during, and after alcohol consumption will help to replenish the fluids lost and reduce the severity of dehydration symptoms. It is recommended that you drink at least one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you consume. This will not only help to keep you hydrated but will also help to reduce the overall amount of alcohol you consume. While these drinks don’t cause dehydration, large amounts may increase urine production.

Keep yourself and your children well-hydrated, and remain extra diligent if you (or they) are playing sports, are in the heat, or are sick. Untreated and in extreme cases, dehydration can lead to serious effects including kidney failure, seizures, heat exhaustion, stroke, and death. Consuming water enriched with electrolytes is one of the most effective strategies to avoid dehydration. While caffeine increases urination, sugar changes the osmotic pressure within the gastrointestinal tract, which draws water into the intestines and contributes to water loss.