Self-Care Strategies – Hydrate! 

As we move forward in this new year, this is a perfect time to reflect, recenter, and take a look at your priorities. As a healthcare professional, your job is to take care of other people’s minds, bodies, and spirits—but how much time do you set aside to take care of your own? Let this year be the year you improve your self-care routine. Remember, taking care of yourself is not selfish.

With that goal in mind, we will be dedicating time over the next few months to provide a series of Self-Care Strategies that will help you do just that. These may seem simple and rather obvious to some, we think that shining a spotlight on them can help you commit to making self-care a priority in your personal and professional life. 

Self-Care Strategy #1: Hydrate! 

We have all heard that we should drink eight glasses of water a day, but is that accurate? And, more importantly, do you know why staying hydrated is important to your overall well-being? Let’s take a look…

How much water should I drink? 

The general rule is that healthy people should drink eight cups of water each day. In reality, however, there is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Rather, the amount of water necessary depends on a variety of personal and environmental factors. 

 It’s important to note that it is possible to drink too much water, particularly if you have certain health conditions, such as thyroid disease or kidney, liver, or heart problems; or if you’re taking medications that make you retain water.

But also keep in mind that a healthy person’s water needs will vary, as well. Particularly if you are losing water through sweat due to exercise or from being outside on a hot day. And keep in mind that all beverages containing water contribute to your daily needs.

Why is it important to stay hydrated? 

Drinking water is essential to your overall health, but its importance can be overlooked. Even mild dehydration—as little as 2% fluid loss—can affect memory, mood, concentration, and reaction time. Adding just a few glasses of water to your daily intake can have a positive effect on cognition, stabilize your emotions, and even combat feelings of anxiety. 

But that’s not all, water has a variety of important jobs in the body, including:

• Carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells
• Flushing bacteria from your bladder
• Aiding digestion
• Preventing constipation
• Normalizing blood pressure
• Stabilizing the heartbeat
• Cushioning joints
• Regulating body temperature
• Maintaining electrolyte balance

As you embark on embracing these new self-care strategies, remember to start small and keep on growing—so much of our time is spent taking care of and tending to others, we have to remember to focus on ourselves, too.