Sports and Exercise
If you're participating in sports or strenuous activities, drink some fluids before the activity begins. You should also drink at regular intervals (every 20 minutes or so) during the course of the activity and after the activity ends. The best time to train or play sports is in the early morning or late afternoon or evening to avoid the hottest part of the day.
Gastrointestinal Infections
If you have a stomach bug and you're spending too much time getting acquainted with the toilet, you probably don't feel like eating or drinking anything. But you still need fluids. Take frequent, small sips of fluids. For some people, ice pops may be easier to tolerate.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it causes a person to urinate (pee) more. It's not clear whether this causes dehydration or not, but to be safe, it's probably a good idea to stay away from too much caffeine in hot weather, during long workouts, or in other situations where you might sweat a lot.
When to See a Doctor
Dehydration can usually be treated by drinking fluids (water). But if you're unable to hold down any fluids, feel faint, weak, or dizzy, or if you have very little urine output, you should tell an adult and visit your doctor.
If you're more dehydrated than you realized, especially if you can't hold fluids down because of vomiting, you may need to receive fluids through an IV to speed up the rehydration process. An IV is an intravenous tube that goes directly into a vein.
Occasionally, dehydration might be a sign of something more serious, such as diabetes, so your doctor may run tests to rule out any other potential problems.
Dehydration is often preventable. So don't ignore your thirst and keep drinking that H2O for healthy hydration.
Date reviewed: March 2016