It’s hot as I write this, and though generally I’m reluctant to mention the weather because it invariably changes before the column appears in print, I’ve decided to risk it because I want to raise concerns about hydration.

In any event, this topic is relevant not just in the summer months but all the year round.  

I’d like to start by reminding you of some useful facts.

Overall, 60% of the adult body is composed of water. Some parts of us have less than that; bones, for example are comprised of 31%. Others, like the skin, kidneys and muscles contain more.

But perhaps what’s even more important for those of us of a certain age, is that a massive 73% of the brain is made up of water.

I’m parking that statistic with you here, because I’ll return to it, seeing as plenty of us are even more concerned about the health of our brains than we are of our bodies.

So, let’s look at dehydration and its dangers.

In simple terms, dehydration occurs when we are not drinking enough fluid to replace what we lose.

And the two groups of people who are most at risk are small children and those of us over 60.

Partly for us, it’s probably just a “getting older” thing, but additionally many pensioners have chronic illnesses which can increase dehydration, as can a number of the drugs prescribed to treat them.

Some of us too, are more prone to tummy upsets, and these can cause serious fluid-loss.

Now, you may think that you can’t be dehydrated because you’re not thirsty.

But often we don’t realise when we are. According to one of the NHS websites, early indications that we are not drinking enough include:  

  • Lightheadedness
  • A dry mouth
  • Tiredness
  • Dark-coloured urine
  • Peeing less than usual.

So those are some of the warning signs.

And we need to keep on the lookout for them, especially when the temperature rises, as it’s generally reckoned that as an age group we tend to drink insufficient fluid.

Also, it’s vital to take on board that if we do nothing about these symptoms they can worsen, and we might then experience dizziness (that lasts for more than a few seconds), severe lethargy and a rapid heartbeat.

And if these symptoms remain unchecked, we may end up with painful urinary or kidney difficulties, or even seizures.

Let’s now look at how much liquid we need.

The world-famous Mayo clinic reckons that women require 2.7 litres a day and men 3.7. Are you drinking anything like that?

I dug out an old measuring jug the other day, which holds half a litre (500ml). I filled it. Then I did the sums and realised that in order to drink the recommended daily amount of water, I’d need to consume five and a half jugfuls.

I found this very useful as a means of illustrating just what 2.7 litres actually looked like. Maybe you might want to do the same. It’s easy to overestimate what we are drinking and thereby put ourselves in danger. But having a visual impression is a good way of persuading us to keep up our fluid intake.   

The next point to address is what sort of fluid is best. I’m sorry to tell you that alcohol dehydrates rather than hydrates us, so a few cool beers won’t solve the problem unless you drink a lot of water too.  

Many older people rely heavily on cups of tea or coffee and assume they are good sources of fluid as they’re made with water.

But the caffeine in them is a diuretic and therefore these beverages are not nearly as helpful as you might expect.

Decaffeinated teas or coffees though, not only help hydrate you, but are gentler on the bladder – so if by any chance you have any irritation or incontinence, these can work better for you than the caffeinated versions.  

Obviously, you’re likely to want a variety of choices, which may include milk, fruit juice, energy drinks, herbal teas and squash. That’s fine.

But do keep an eye on the sugar content of some of these. At the end of the day, water is probably your best option. It’s cheap and, of course, literally on tap.

Finally, let me return to the brain. Just to remind you, almost three quarters of it is water.

But what you might not know is that even a 2% decrease in brain hydration can impact your health, and you can feel poorly co-ordinated, a bit foggy, irritable or confused. These are horrid feelings and are not good for you – and certainly, you should not be operating powered garden tools, or driving, if you’re suffering from them.

So do remember the recommended fluid levels, and you will be doing something significantly beneficial for both your body and your all-important brain.