The Heat is On

Why hydration is about far more than drinking water — and how to hydrate your body for life

Summer is coming.

The days are getting longer, the temperature is creeping upwards, and before long we’ll all be reaching for the water bottle, complaining about the heat and wondering why our legs have suddenly decided to develop a personality of their own.

And yes, the heat is on — cue Glenn Frey.

But hydration is about considerably more than drinking a few extra glasses of water when the temperature rises, or waiting until a calf cramp wakes you at 2am.

Hydration is one of the most fundamental things we can do for our bodies — every single day, at every age. And if we want our bodies to age well, hydration deserves considerably more attention than it usually gets.

Water isn't just something you drink

We tend to think of hydration as a simple equation: Thirst → drink water → hydrated.

If only the human body were that simple.

Water is the largest single component of the human body and is involved in virtually every major physiological process. It helps regulate body temperature, maintain blood volume, transport nutrients, remove waste and provide the environment in which countless biochemical reactions occur (Popkin, D’Anci and Rosenberg, 2010). And here's something many people don't realise:

Your hydration comes from more than the water you drink.

Water is also contained in the foods you eat. Fruits, vegetables, yoghurt, soups, stews, fish and many other foods contribute meaningful amounts of water to your total daily intake (Benelam and Wyness, 2010).

In other words, your body doesn't particularly care whether the water arrived wearing a fancy label or came attached to a cucumber. It just wants the water.

So, what does "proper hydration" actually mean?

Being hydrated isn't simply about filling the tank. It's about maintaining the body's fluid and electrolyte balance. Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium play important roles in fluid distribution, nerve signalling and muscle function. When we sweat, particularly in hot weather or during exercise, we lose both water and electrolytes. This is where the familiar conversation about muscle cramps comes in. It's tempting to assume:

"I cramped, therefore I must be dehydrated."

But the science is more complicated. Exercise-associated muscle cramps have been linked to several factors, including neuromuscular fatigue, and the evidence does not support the idea that dehydration or electrolyte depletion alone explains every cramp (Schwellnus, 2008).

So, yes — hydration matters.

But if you're experiencing persistent or severe cramping, simply knocking back litres of water isn't necessarily the answer. Your body is a sophisticated system, not a swimming pool.

Hydration begins on your plate

One of the simplest ways to improve hydration is to stop thinking about hydration as something you do between meals and start thinking about it as part of your diet. Many foods contain a surprising amount of water. Think:

• cucumber

• watermelon

• oranges

• berries

• tomatoes

• lettuce and leafy greens

• zucchini

• soups and broths

• yoghurt

• milk

• fish

• fruit and vegetable-based meals

• casseroles and stews

  
  

Some fruits and vegetables contain more than 90% water, while yoghurt, fish and many cooked foods can also make a meaningful contribution to total water intake (Benelam and Wyness, 2010).

This is one of the beautiful things about eating real, minimally processed food. You aren't just getting vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients. You're getting water packaged naturally alongside them.

The hydration plate

If you want a practical summer strategy, try thinking about your meals this way:

½ your plate — water-rich vegetables

Salad leaves, cucumber, tomatoes, capsicum, zucchini, spinach and other vegetables.

¼ your plate — quality protein

Fish, eggs, chicken, lean meat, legumes, tofu or another suitable protein source.

¼ your plate — nourishing carbohydrates

Whole grains, potatoes, rice, quinoa or other minimally processed carbohydrates.

Then add some fruit, yoghurt or another water-containing food during the day.

And, of course, drink water regularly. It's not complicated. It doesn't need to involve expensive powders, miracle beverages or a bottle that tells you what time of day it is.

But how much water do we actually need?

This is where things get interesting. There isn't one magical number of glasses that applies perfectly to every human being. Our water requirements vary according to body size, activity, diet, climate, health, age and how much we are sweating.

The National Academies' dietary reference values emphasise that total water includes water from drinking water, other beverages and food — and that people exposed to hot environments or increased physical activity require more fluid (Institute of Medicine, 2005).

So instead of obsessing over a rigid number, consider the bigger picture. Drink regularly. Eat water-rich foods. Increase intake when you're hot or active. Pay attention to thirst and other signs of inadequate fluid intake. And don't wait until you're desperately thirsty after spending two hours gardening in the Australian sun.

Hydration becomes even more important as we age

This is particularly relevant to those of us who are interested in healthy ageing. As we get older, our bodies can become more vulnerable to dehydration. Changes in thirst perception, kidney function, body composition, medications and underlying health conditions can all influence hydration status (Pence et al., 2025; Zhang et al., 2023).

That means the old strategy of: "I'll drink when I'm thirsty" may not always be the best strategy as we age.

Hydration needs a little more intention. And this is precisely why hydration belongs in the conversation about ageing well. We spend enormous amounts of time talking about maintaining muscle, building bone strength, supporting cardiovascular health, exercising our brains and eating well.

All important.

But underneath all of that is a body that needs water to function.

Hydration isn't just about summer

Here's the part I really want you to remember: Don't wait for summer to become a good hydrator.

Your cells don't take winter off.

Your kidneys don't have a seasonal schedule.

Your muscles don't say, "We'll worry about hydration again in December."

Every day your body is losing water through urine, breathing, sweat and other normal processes. That water needs to be replaced. And when you exercise — including Pilates — your hydration needs can increase, particularly in warmer conditions. Good hydration supports the environment in which your muscles, joints, cardiovascular system and nervous system do their jobs. It's not a glamorous health intervention. But perhaps that's precisely why we overlook it.

And then there's the food on the other side of the equation

There's another reason I like thinking about hydration through nutrition. A glass of water can hydrate you beautifully. But a whole-food diet can support hydration while simultaneously nourishing the body. Imagine the difference between:

Water + a highly processed snack

and

Water + a colourful salad + grilled fish + vegetables + yoghurt + fruit.

Both may contribute to your fluid intake. But the second option also provides protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients that your body needs to repair, maintain and function. That's what I mean by complete hydration. Not some magical new product. Simply giving your body water alongside the nutrients it needs to use that water effectively and maintain normal physiological function.

A body designed for water

And perhaps there is something quietly profound about all of this. We often talk about the body as though it were a machine that we need to maintain. But perhaps we could look at it differently.

We are created to be hydrated.

From the earliest stages of life, water is fundamental to the environment in which human life develops. The adult human body remains substantially water, and water is essential for cellular homeostasis and life itself (Popkin, D’Anci and Rosenberg, 2010).

Whatever your personal beliefs about creation, there is something thought-provoking about the fact that something as ordinary as water is also something upon which our extraordinary bodies depend. Perhaps hydration isn't just another item on the health checklist. Perhaps it's part of the original design.

Your simple summer hydration plan

So, as the temperature rises, forget the complicated rules. Try these instead:

1. Start your day with water.

Before the coffee. Yes, I know. I'm asking a lot.

2. Carry water with you.

Make hydration convenient rather than something you have to remember.

3. Eat your water.

Include fruit, vegetables, yoghurt, soups and other water-rich foods throughout the day.

4. Hydrate before, during and after exercise.

Especially when exercising outdoors or in hot conditions.

5. Don't rely solely on thirst.

This becomes increasingly important as we age.

6. Remember electrolytes when they're actually needed.

Long, sweaty exercise sessions, significant fluid losses or particular medical circumstances may require more than plain water. For everyday activity, however, water and a balanced diet are generally the foundation.

7. Don't turn hydration into a competition.

More isn't automatically better. Excessive water intake can also be harmful. Hydration is about balance.

8. Look at the whole day.

One enormous bottle of water at 9pm doesn't compensate for neglecting fluids all day.

The heat is on — so let's get ahead of it

Summer doesn't have to mean waiting until you're exhausted, headachy, cramping and desperate for something cold. Hydration is something we can build into our everyday lives.

A glass of water when we wake.

A bottle beside us while we work.

A colourful salad at lunch.

Fruit for a snack.

Vegetables with dinner.

Water before and after exercise.

A little more attention when the weather turns hot.

Nothing dramatic. Just small decisions repeated consistently. Because ageing well isn't about one spectacular health decision. It's about thousands of ordinary decisions that quietly add up over the years. And perhaps one of the simplest is this: Give your body the water it was designed to need.

After all...

The heat is on.

So let's make sure we're not just turning up the air conditioner —let's turn up our attention to hydration.

A final note: The scientific literature is quite clear that hydration is essential, but it is also careful about claiming that drinking more water automatically prevents chronic disease or "slows ageing." The stronger evidence supports hydration as fundamental to normal physiological function, thermoregulation, circulation, kidney function and overall health, with particular importance during heat, exercise and older age. 

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Copyright 2026 Jeanette Lasek, We Live and Move Pilates. All rights reserved. Content may not be republished or redistributed without explicit written permission. Short quotes are permitted provided that a full backlink to ww.weliveandmovepilates.com is included.  

References

Benelam, B. and Wyness, L. (2010) ‘Hydration and health: a review’, Nutrition Bulletin, 35(1), pp. 3–25.

Institute of Medicine (2005) Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10925.

Pence, J., Davis, A., Allen-Gregory, E. and Bloomer, R.J. (2025) ‘Hydration strategies in older adults’, Nutrients, 17(14), 2256. doi: 10.3390/nu17142256.

Popkin, B.M., D’Anci, K.E. and Rosenberg, I.H. (2010) ‘Water, hydration, and health’, Nutrition Reviews, 68(8), pp. 439–458. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x.

Schwellnus, M.P. (2008) ‘Cause of exercise associated muscle cramps (EAMC)—altered neuromuscular control, dehydration or electrolyte depletion?’, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(6), pp. 401–408. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2008.050401.

Zhang, N., et al. (2023) ‘Hydration status in older adults: current knowledge and future challenges’, Nutrients.