With the refreshment of temperatures, thirst is less felt. It is therefore easy to spend long hours without drinking a drop of water. However, our body needs to be hydrated, whatever the season.
When fall scrambles our thirsty signals
When temperatures drop, it is not uncommon to realize in the evening that no glass of water was drunk during the day. In question, a well -known physiological phenomenon. “”When temperatures fall in autumn, the feeling of thirst decreases because the body sweats less, loses less water and the need for thermal regulation is less“Explains Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of True Medical.
This decrease in thirst is orchestrated by a finely adjusted mechanism. “Thirst is regulated by central receptors (osmoreceptors of the hypothalamus) which detect the increase in the concentration of salts or the drop in blood volume, causing the desire to drink to maintain water balance,” he explains. Problem: when these signals become more discreet, organs and cells continue to demand their water supply.
The invisible risks of insufficient hydration
Dehydration in autumn is often silent. Fatigue, headache, drop in concentration can however be the first signs. Dr. Kierzek insists: good hydration “protects the kidneys, facilitates digestion, maintains concentration and contributes to immunity“.
A well -hydrated organism also defends better against seasonal viruses such as flu or cold, because wet mucous membranes offer a more efficient protective barrier.
The right reflexes to hydrate despite the cold
Staying attentive to your hydration goes through small simple daily habits:
- Keep a gourd at hand at work or at home;
- Program reminders on his phone;
- Make on infusions or soups that also bring water;
- Distribute the drinks throughout the day;
- Monitor the color of its urine, which must remain clear.
As the doctor reminds us, “There is no need to limit yourself to flat water: herbal teas, broths, water -rich fruits such as clementines or apples also participate in hydration“. And to conclude:”Hydration is a health reflex all year round, even in autumn when the feeling of thirst is misleading and where dehydration can go unnoticed“.