Importance of keeping hydrated

This month my safety tip is to keep well hydrated, it is easy in these hot summer months to forget to drink enough.
Not keeping hydrated can have a dramatic effect on your brain and body. Including

• Heat stroke 
• Low Blood pressure
• Fatigue
• Increase urinary frequency 

 All which can affect our balance and lead to falls especially when we are already coping with a neurological condition or reduced balance.  
 
Our body is made up of 70 percent water so it makes sense to keep drinking. 

So how does it affect our brain, reduced fluid means a decrease in blood volume ultimately restricting the amount of oxygen and nutrients going to the brain we can become lethargic and this can decrease our alertness. When we already have processes that affect our brain we are increasing the difficulty we have to move and complete our daily activities.

When your blood pressure is low it can cause you to feel dizzy when you stand up and cause some people to lose their balance. 

I often hear if I drink later in the day I need to get up to go to the toilet at night.  Many people have difficulty getting to the toilet at the best of times, however restricting fluid intake may be defeating the purpose. Yes it is true if you drink teas and coffee it causes increased need to pass urine, however if you are dehydrated and your urine becomes concentrated it can irritate your bladder also increasing your need to go to the toilet. It is important to keep well hydrated so this does not occur at all times of the year. If you are finding it difficult to get up to the toilet we can help.