Summertime is supposed to be fun, but the brutal, unforgiving sun and high humidity can make it rather unpleasant. It’s easy to forget to drink enough water, many of us making that mistake – resulting in dehydration, brain fog, and other negative side effects. This summer, make sure you stay hydrated and take good care of your skin, so you can enjoy the weather instead of suffering through it.
And guess what? Our 30 momme silk pillowcase will help you with some of that! We’ll tell you how in a little while.
Why is it important to stay hydrated?
Our body is 70% water – which doesn’t mean you can upturn someone and have a whole lot of water flow out. What it means is that the cells making up your body are all brimming with water. There’s a good reason for that. Water helps you regulate body temperature, keep your joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and to keep major organs functioning properly. Your hydration levels also have an effect on sleep quality, cognition, and overall mood.
What are the signs of dehydration?
Often people don’t recognize (or they ignore) the signs of dehydration. If a person is dehydrated for too long, the symptoms can become worrisome. Drinking water can feel like a chore, so it’s understandable why people forget to do it, however, here are some common symptoms of dehydration:
- Feeling thirsty;
- Feeling dizzy or light-headed;
- Having a dry mouth, lips and eyes;
- Feeling tired;
- Peeing fewer than four times a day.
You may be surprised to learn that dehydration isn’t just caused by not drinking water – sometimes it may be caused by drinking certain beverages! Coffee, tea, soda, alcohol and sugary drinks can all cause you to become dehydrated. So, if you're in a habit of drinking these drinks in lieu of water, it may be time for a change.
How much water should you drink daily?
Opinions differ on how much water you should drink everyday, and the amount will change depending on existing health conditions, your age, weight, gender and other factors. However, you need a certain yardstick so you can determine whether you’re drinking enough water. Here’s what we found:
According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, men need about 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) of fluids per day, and women need 2.7 liters, or 11.5 cups. Bear in mind this refers to fluids, not just water.
Another source suggests drinking somewhere between half an ounce and one full ounce of water per pound of body weight. So for someone weighing 160 pounds, that’s 80-160 ounces of water daily.
You’ll find differing numbers online, but generally, as long as you don’t feel any signs of dehydration and feel comfortable committing to a certain amount of water intake, you can stick to it. Try and up your intake a little in summer, if possible.
Tips for staying hydrated this summer
Here's our best tip: Drink little, and often. We mean water, of course! Drink a mouthful every now and then, instead of downing half a liter when you wake up feeling dehydrated. But here are some more tips:
Keep a water bottle beside you
Determine where you spend the most time daily, and keep a filled water bottle right beside yourself, so it’s visible to you. This will act as a constant reminder, so you remember to drink more water.
Set reminders
This might seem like a weird tip, but if you find you just can’t form a habit, it might help you get started. There are apps and Chrome extensions that will remind you every 30 minutes (or however often you’d like) to take a sip of water. You’ll even find water bottles that come with a reminder attachment (like Ulla). Technology has made it simple to be reminded to drink water.
Make water tasty!
A lot of people don’t drink water, instead preferring soda, coffee, and other alternatives, because water’s just so… bland. But it doesn’t have to be! You can flavor it with infusers, or make a non-alcoholic mojito (cucumber slices, lemon juice, crushed mint leaves in ice water) so you have something to look forward to. Just remember: no sugar!
Try soda water
If the last point is too much work or if you like a bit of fizz, try something like SodaStream. You’ll be able to make flavored soda water at home, and you’ll get some adorable, reusable bottles too! This’ll help you get into the habit of drinking soda water regularly – which actually has a couple health benefits, like relieving stomach aches.
Drink water before meals
This kills two birds with one stone. First, it hydrates you, and second, your stomach will be a little full when you sit to eat, so you’ll consume less food. This is a good tip if you’re trying to lose weight.
Eat lots of fruits
About a fifth of your fluid intake comes from the things you eat. So, eat more fresh fruit and veggies! Not only will they improve your health and keep you hydrated, but fruits make an excellent snack, and can help you move away from unhealthy snacking habits.
Eat your water
It’s summer, and we want ice cold water! Or maybe we just want ice… If the high temperature’s getting you down, nibble at an ice cube. It’ll help you cool down, while providing water. In fact, you can try this when you want a snack too, because we often mistake thirst for hunger. Weird mistake to make, but we do it!
These were some of our best tips for staying hydrated during summer. Figure out what’s keeping you from drinking enough water, and work on that particular problem – whether it’s building a habit, making water tasty, or drinking enough water. While you’re at it, also make sure your pets are drinking enough water.
Keeping your skin hydrated
Drinking water isn’t just important for good health – it’s also important if you want youthful-looking skin. Well-hydrated skin is less sensitive to germs and irritants, and wrinkles and acne don’t affect you as much if your skin’s well-hydrated. Here are some tips for ensuring your skin stays nice and hydrated during summer.
Sleep on a 30 momme silk pillowcase
If you’re on the fence about purchasing our pillowcase, maybe this’ll help: Silk is a wonderful fiber that doesn’t wick moisture away from your skin, which means less of your skin’s moisture (and beauty product) is absorbed overnight. This means you don’t wake up with dry, irritated skin.
Take lukewarm showers
Hot showers can leave your skin stripped of natural oils, and feeling dry and itchy. So, no matter what the weather, it’s usually a good idea to take warm or lukewarm showers rather than hot ones. If you leave the shower with red skin, the water was too hot.
Use hyaluronic acid serum
Hyaluronic acid is extremely effective at holding on to water. In fact, it can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water! When applied to your skin, it will lock moisture in, and keep your skin nice and hydrated. Our HA serum is gentle and hydrating.
Moisturize
Moisturizer is a great product that locks in your skin’s moisture, so the sun can’t deplete it. Always make sure you moisturize after a shower, and never go out into the sun without moisturizer (and SPF). The Body Stones are solid moisturizers that come without filler – we really recommend those!
Use face mist
If you’ll be outside for a while, get a face mist. It’ll help moisturize and soothe your skin, so you can stay in the sun longer without suffering adverse effects. For ultra-hot days when you’re at home, a simple spray bottle will do the trick, too. Spray some water onto your extremities and face to instantly feel cooler, and to keep your skin hydrated.
There are also a lot of natural tips out there, but natural skincare is a subject we want to tackle in a different blog.
Our products keep your skin healthy and happy
Our products are made with heart, from wonderful, Earth-friendly ingredients. Take our 30 momme silk pillowcase, for example. As we mentioned in the last section, it’ll help you retain moisture while you sleep, so you wake up feeling fresh and well-rested. However, what really makes the pillowcase awesome is the fact that it’s completely sustainable!
One of our most popular products, our 30 momme silk pillowcase is made with organically sourced silk. The processes and substances involved in its production are as sustainable as possible. The product packaging also ticks these boxes – it’s all either recyclable or compostable.
Silk itself is a biodegradable material. So once the pillowcase is at the end of its life, you can upcycle and use it in other projects, and when it’s no longer usable, you can discard it without feeling guilty.
So, switch to a silk pillowcase, and your skin and hair will thank you – no more hair breakage, frizziness, or dryness…just pure, unadulterated luxury!
All of Fait avec Coeur's silk products are OEKO-TEX®, BSCI, and ISO certified.
