How does water affect sport performance?
- Saskia Malefijt
- Apr 4, 2021
- 3 min read
Do you often exercise any sports? This consists of for instance, doing sports in the gym or exercising a group sport. In both ways you are activating your body to create a positive performance in how you act towards the physical activities.
Due to the fact that you are losing water trough sweat, optimal activation of your muscles decreases. Therefore, you water intake is crucial (Quinn, 2020)!
Tracking your water intake is essential within the sports due to the fact that the hydration maintain its blood volume, regulate the temperature of the body and allows the muscle connections to take place (How much water do youth athletes need?, 2017). Maintaining your blood level is important due to the fact that the cells facilitate themselves by taking their oxygen transport stable. Also, a body’s temperature needs to stay consistent in order to function properly. If the temperate fluctuates too much, body cells get disorientated which cause them to face difficulties when sensing bacteria, meaning that the cells cannot distinguish whether another cell got bad intentions for the human body (Exercise - the low - down on hydration, sd). Therefore, it needs to make sure to be as stable as possible in order to function properly. Muscle connections only take place, if it is hydrated which takes place when the other matters are being avoided. A connection helps the body to feel the right muscle parts while training.
When a body is not aware of its water intake, dehydration symptoms might take place especially if the person is doing sports. While doing sports for an hour, a body loses more than a quarter of its naturally water which causes fatigue in the muscles and loss of coordination. Felling muscle fatigue causes a negative result in performance, therefore less coordination awareness. More symptoms that might arise when being dehydrated are, fainting, lack of energy, feeling dizzy or rapid breathing (Dehydration, 2019).
In order to avoid such feelings, a smart hydration reminder has been invented. This device consists of a small electronic reminder linked to a silicone band. Due to its band, the reminder can be easily attached to any bottle or glass of any size. It blinks every 40 minutes where a sip needs to be taken. At the final day, more than 2 liters of water intake has been reached. Also, it consists of a proximity sensor which goes off if it does not sense someone nearby. Therefore, the lifetime of the device is longer than usual.
The smart hydration reminder works optimal for people who do sports. While doing sports, people used to drink a lot. After having finished their physical activities they switch to any other liquids such as coffee or soda. This can be caused by the thought people are having after drinking more than 2 bottles of water in the gym. Basically, this water intake will end the body as well trough sweat. Coffee and sodas are not working properly when avoiding dehydration, which is therefore not optimal to drink during hot days (Zeratsky, 2020). The body only gets to digest a part the substances which are needed to fill up the body with water instead of the all the substances. Therefore, this device will solve the lack of water intake. Easily to attach, bring with and to use!
References:
Quinn, E. (2020, November 22). Recommended Water Intake for Athletes During Exercise. Retrieved March 2021, from Verywellfit: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-much-water-should-you-drink-3120428
How much water do youth athletes need? (2017, April 5). Retrieved March 2021, from Truesport: https://truesport.org/hydration/how-much-water-should-youth-athletes-drink/
Exercise - the low - down on hydration. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2021, from BetterHealth: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/HealthyLiving/Exercise-the-low-down-on-water-and-drinks
Dehydration. (2019, September 19). Retrieved March 2021, from MayoClinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086
Zeratsky, K. (2020, August 27). Nutrition and healthy eating. Retrieved from MayoClinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/caffeinated-drinks/faq-20057965
Really interesting article to read. Also the right person to write about this subject. I did not know that water had such a big role in your body. Would like to read more from you!
Thank you for this Saskia! Now I know how important it is that I stay hydrated while sporting and drink a consistent amount over the day
Good Job Saskia! Always super passionated regarding sports. Even with this topic you manage to match it to physical activities. Interesting!
Wauw! This article sounds very interesting. I did know that staying hydrated is important, but I always wanted to know in depth how dehydration affects your body while doing sports.