Did you know that most of us start our morning ALREADY in a state of dehydration? Think about it: sleeping roughly seven or eight hours a night is a long time to go without water! By the time you wake up, your body is slightly dehydrated. However, the good news is that this can be easily remedied!
While fluids like pure water can be a great option to kickstart your day, electrolyte mixes have an increasingly beneficial role...but what exactly are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are essential for life. They are crucial minerals carrying an electric charge, which ionize when dissolved in water. These salts enter your body through food or drink and then turn into the charges that spark cell function, making electrolytes responsible for just about everything that goes on in the body. They regulate muscle and nerve function, metabolism, hydration, blood pressure, pH level, and other various cell functions – just to name a few. Without these important body-nourishing minerals, your cells would have trouble self-regulating, which would throw your basic bodily functions completely out of sync. Needless to say, electrolytes are critically important to remain in balance! The primary six electrolytes that your body needs to function include:
- Calcium: Important for nerve transmission.
- Chloride: Supports the health of your tendons and joints.
- Magnesium: Helps to convert glucose to energy, relaxes muscles and nerves.
- Potassium: Plays an important role in how nerves transmit and muscles contract.
- Sodium: Works with potassium to support muscle contraction and relaxation.
- Phosphorous: Needed for nerve signaling and repair of tissues and cells.
Many people drink, chew, and slurp up trendy electrolyte drinks like Powerade, Gatorade, Pedialyte, Kinderlyte and liquid supplements because they have been told electrolyte replenishment is important for health. But have you ever wondered WHY we are prone to electrolyte loss?
We lose electrolytes through sweat and urine. Have you ever noticed that your sweat tastes a bit salty? That is because sweat is made up of mostly water and sodium. Since your body is naturally aiming for balance, loss of sodium through sweating results in other electrolytes shortly following suit. This can easily cause a state of imbalance. The rule of thumb is the more you sweat, the more electrolytes you need to consume to replenish what was lost.
Electrolytes for Breakfast
Electrolytes are not just drinks to be chugged immediately following strenuous physical activity. They also make an exceptional choice to jumpstart your morning!
Even if you were to start the night reasonably well-hydrated, you will naturally lose fluids simply by breathing and sweating while you snooze. This is especially true if you are a mouth-breather, snore, or have sleep apnea. In addition, an overly dry or warm bedroom can lead to extra fluid loss during the night, as can an intensive evening sweat session without sufficient rehydration. Drinking excessive alcohol prior to hitting the hay can also exacerbate these fluid-compromising scenarios, which in turn can cause the infamous hangover that includes headaches and drowsiness the following day.
How to Hydrate Properly
Good hydration requires more than simply guzzling down a bottle of water before your beauty sleep. Focus on drinking plenty of non-caffeinated fluids on a regular basis throughout the day. According to the National Academies of Sciences, women need approximately 91 ounces daily from beverages and foods, while men should shoot for roughly 125 ounces. Don’t wait until bedtime to do all of your drinking because that will set you up for multiple nighttime bathroom breaks making it extremely difficult to achieve quality sleep. In addition, electrolytes and water go hand-in-hand, so getting up to urinate frequently can also deplete mineral stores and lead to waking up with a headache – and who wants to deal with that first thing in the morning?
If you do happen to wake up in the morning feeling bogged down, chances are your body could use a quick electrolyte pick-me-up. Instead of coffee, try some of these natural energy-boosting options listed below:
- Coconut Water – loaded with healthy electrolytes, coconut water is commonly referred to as “Mother Nature’s natural energy drink”. While it has some fructose and sugar it is a good option to pair with your breakfast because it is packed with healthy antioxidants and minerals to help kickstart your day!
- Sea Salt – as we mentioned, sweat is made up of sodium which you naturally lose as you snooze. To replenish this electrolyte, simply pinch some salt into your drink and you are good to go! Stick with sea salt like sea salt from the Great Salt Lakes or pink Himalayan salt because it is not as processed as table salt.
- Lemons – believe it or not, lemons are an ideal alternative to your morning cup of coffee because they provide a naturally energizing electrolyte punch. In addition, they have the ability to detoxify the liver and boost the immune system making them a great way to start your day!
- Electrolyte Supplements – an easy and surefire way to provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to support your active lifestyle is with a top-quality electrolyte supplement like Adapted Nutrition’s Hi-Lyte. Skip the caffeine bomb and jelly-filled donut first thing in the morning, and instead fuel your body with a potent, sugar-free electrolyte concentrate made with natural sea minerals to feel your best throughout the day.
Replacing the electrolytes that you naturally lose throughout the day is critical to keep your engine running in tip top shape! If you have been experiencing morning fatigue, it could be a sign that you are running low on vitamins, minerals, and fluids in general. To feel your best and jumpstart your day, try replenishing your body with electrolytes immediately upon waking – you will thank us later!