When it is hot outside, it is important to drink—water, that is. But the inclination of many people may be to grab a ice cold beer, one of those drinks with an umbrella in it or some other type of alcoholic beverage. While such beverages do have water in them, relying on them to stay properly hydrated during a heat wave can be quite dangerous. Here’s why and what you should do to protect yourself if you still want to imbibe alcoholic beverages in the midst of a heat wave.
Danger 1: Alcohol can further dehydrate you.
Alcohol can impede your body’s production of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). ADH normally prompts your kidneys to retain more and excrete water less. So, the more alcohol you drink, the more you may end up peeing, as evidenced by the long bathroom lines at nightclubs.
Danger 2: Alcoholic beverages can keep you from drinking enough water.
Drinking alcohol beverages can give you a false sense of security, making, “I am pouring liquid down my throat so I must be staying hydrated.” As a result, you overlook the need to drink water as well. Plus, alcoholic beverages can keep your tummy feeling full so that you may be less inclined to keep drinking water.
Danger 3: Alcohol can impair your judgement.
Surprise, surprise, alcohol can affect how you think, feel and make decisions. Just ask anyone who has woken up in bed next to a stranger after a night of drinking. Thus, when intoxicated, you may not do the things needed to protect you against the heat such as getting out of the heat when you are overheating.
Danger 4: Alcohol can impede your body’s temperature regulation mechanisms and mask warning signs.
Your body typically uses various mechanisms such as dilating blood vessels and sweating to release heat and stay as cool as possible. Alcohol could potentially mess with such mechanisms. Plus, drinking alcohol can make it more difficult to recognize signs of heat-related badness such as heat stroke (e.g., a body temperature of above 103 degrees Fahrenheit, red and dry skin, dizziness, nausea, an increased heart rate and confusion) or heat exhaustion (e.g., heavy sweating, cold and clammy skin, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps and fainting.) Yeah, is that increased heart rate due to being buzzed on alcohol, the fact that your cheesy, ill-advised pick up lines did not work or heat exhaustion or stroke?
Therefore, it’s best to avoid drinking alcohol as much as possible when it’s hot outside. Of course, telling people not to drink during the Summer can be like telling people not to brag about themselves on LinkedIn. So, if you must imbibe alcoholic beverages, make sure you take the following precautions:
- Drink in moderation—the alcohol, that is. When it comes to water, it’s fine to go to town on the wet stuff and drink as much as you can.
- Pre-drink—water, that is. Before you say, “Come on Barbie, let’s go party,” make sure that you get yourself hydrated.
- Pre-eat—food, that is. Before drinking alcohol, fill your stomach with food that can then slow how quickly the alcohol gets absorbed into your bloodstream.
- Keep drinking—water, that is. Counter every serving of alcohol (e.g., 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or one shot glass of spirits like rum, vodka, gin, tequila or whiskey) with an 8- to 12-ounce glass of water.
- Eat food with lots of water in it. This doesn’t mean chips. Instead, many fruits and vegetables—such as watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries, pineapples, peaches, oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, zucchini and cooked yellow squash—have high water content that can serve as additional hydrating sources. Try to work such foods into your party routine like beer and bell pepper pong.
- Reduce your caffeine intake. Caffeine is a diuretic too. So it along with alcohol can be a double-whammy until urine trouble, so to speak. Therefore, when drinking alcohol, you may want to avoid soda, coffee and energy drinks.
- Buddy up to watch each other. Just like you get wing people to make sure that you don’t go home with the wrong person while drinking, stay around friends who can sense and warn you when you may be overheating.
Finally, during a heat wave, one of the number one things to pay attention to is your urine and your urination. As I have covered before for Forbes, decreased urination or darker urine can be signs that you are dehydrated. Of course, alcohol can mess with these warning signs, making you urinate more even when your body should be retaining fluids. Therefore, try to keep track of how much fluid you have been taking in versus how much has been going out via your urine. If things are not properly balanced, make sure you increase your fluid intake accordingly.
In general, balance is the key word when it comes to alcohol intake. Balance what you eat with what you drink. Balance your fluid intake with your fluid output. And make sure that you can stay balanced on the floor.