Those who have been in Socorro for a while, by now, have learned that dehydration is a serious concern.

 Temperatures for the last month have averaged in the nineties and above with very little rain to cool it down.  Staying cool is an obvious solution, and with classrooms set to what feels like below freezing temperatures this should be an easy way to escape from the summer’s heat. But staying cool is only the half of it and what most people forget is to stay hydrated. 

Like it or not, each person needs anywhere from eight to twelve cups of water each day. (For a more personalized water regimen, divide body weight (in pounds) by two and that is the number of fluid ounces one should drink on a daily bases.) And the more active a person is, the more he or she should drink. It is recommended that a person should drink about a cup of water for every 20 minutes that he or she is active.

The weather is nice and it is natural that people will want to spend more time outdoors but with the elevated summer temperatures, sweating occurs more often from even the simplest activities and this can worsen dehydration in an individual.

Never the less, try to limit time spent outside, or at least make sure to take enough water along for the activity. Water is still the best thing to drink when dehydrated, and the closer it is to room temperature, the easier it is on the body.

Colder water, though it may feel better on a warmer day, needs to be brought to body temperature before it can be absorbed, which may not be as helpful in more serious cases of dehydration.

Signs of dehydration include but are not limited to simply feeling thirsty, loss of appetite, fatigue, chills, headaches, and muscle pain, so if any of these signs arise take it easy and drink more fluids. If left alone, these symptoms of dehydration may lead to more severe heat related disorders such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion is the less dangerous of the two and is characterized by profuse sweating, weakness, nausea, vomiting, headaches, light- headedness, and muscle cramps. People feeling these symptoms should retreat to a cool area, and drink as much water as they can. Heat stroke is a potentially fatal extension of heat exhaustion where the body can no longer cool itself off, and the body’s temperature reaches 106  or more. Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion in the individual, a sudden paleness to the skin, a rapid cease of sweating, and seizures. Be on the lookout for others who may be experiencing heat stroke and call an ambulance, as the individual will not be aware that there is anything wrong with him.

Having fun in the sun is a good way to stay healthy as the sunlight allows the production of vitamin D, and the exercise is of course good for the body. But it is just as important to one’s health as staying cool and hydrated. It may seem pointless or even silly to bring water everywhere, but so long as a person is aware of the needs of his or her body, then it is possible and easy to have a safe and healthy summer.