Actionable steps to boost your hydration, courtesy of Equinox-selected experts.
When it comes to living a healthier life, ensuring you’re drinking enough water every day is key. After all, there’s a link between hydration and overall well-being, including enhancing your immune health.
“For the immune system to function properly, we need to be able to carry our immune cells where they need to go,” says Amy Shah, M.D., a double board-certified doctor and author of “I’m So Effing Hungry,” adding that the majority of our body composition is made up of water. “When we are dehydrated, we cannot [carry our immune cells where they need to go] and there seems to be impaired function of certain immune functions.”
Ahead, discover seven simple ways to improve your hydration.
1. Eat your water to transform your skin.
“Incorporate fruits and veggies with high water content into your diet and watch your skin change,” says Bianca Santana, master spa therapist at Brickell in Miami. “I typically ask my clients what their diet and lifestyle is like to get to the source of common concerns like acne, dryness, and dehydration. Unfortunately cheese and dairy in general are a big problem for many when it comes to skin and gut health. That’s why I advise clients to see how they feel and how their skin reacts to less or no dairy consumption.” READ MORE
2. Sip on an electrolyte-rich drink during workouts.
When products rich in simple carbohydrates hit your GI tract, your body pulls water from your blood vessels to help you digest the food. According to Supriya Rao, M.D. — a quadruple board-certified physician in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine — without amping up your water intake, you increase your risk of dehydration, which may already be high if you’re exercising in a hot, humid environment. As you exercise, sip on a low-sugar, electrolyte-rich beverage to counteract any dehydrating effects of your carbohydrate-heavy snack, she says. READ MORE
3. Don’t drink alcohol before bedtime.
“Alcohol fragments sleep significantly and leads to poorer sleep quality and poor sleep quantity. You also become dehydrated from it, can become dependent on it if you use it routinely, and can worsen your snoring and/or sleep apnea — if that’s an issue for you,” explains Behavioral Sleep Medicine expert Shelby Harris, PsyD, author of The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia. READ MORE
4. Drink water before and after a night out.
“If you choose to drink, drink responsibly, stay hydrated, and eat enough before and after drinking,” says Brenna O’Malley, R.D., a registered dietitian and the founder of The Wellful in San Francisco. “There is a common mentality to ‘restrict’ or ‘save up’ calories for a night of drinking or a dinner out. This is not only dangerous but sets you up for binging and feeling out of control around food and alcohol later in the night.” READ MORE
5. Say yes to moisturizers.
“A simple moisturizer can go a long way. We work so hard to strengthen and sculpt our bodies, but it’s important to remember we must care for our skin as well,” shares celebrity-approved dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, M.D. “I usually wear gloves, but if I don't have them with me during a lift, I make sure to moisturize my hands after.” READ MORE
6. For plumper skin, try a HydraFacial.
“I generally recommend the HydraFacial prior to events due to the ability of the facial to cleanse, treat, rehydrate and infuse antioxidants, peptides and ceramides into the skin,” says Bianca Santana, Master Spa Therapist at Brickell in Miami. “With little to no downtime you have plumped refreshed glowing skin ready for photos.” READ MORE
7. Add fruits to your water.
While lemon water isn’t more hydrating in and of itself, having a habit you enjoy like drinking a glass of warm lemon water first thing in the morning may lead you to drink more water overall, says Equinox Group Fitness Instructor Miriam Shestack. Of course, this could be any type of water you enjoy: cucumber, raspberry, strawberry — whatever you like. READ MORE