It's Summer! Go Forth and Hydrate! (Even If You're Afraid You'll Pee Your Pants)
Do you stop hydrating an hour before you run in hopes that you won’t pee your pants? I hear this a lot from my running club friends. In fact, it’s what I used to do – with disastrous consequences. I wouldn’t drink before a run and consistently had to end it early, feeling dizzy, weak, and nauseous (but my pants were dry, woohoo!) After a particularly scary episode, I called my doctor who said I was clearly dehydrated and likely down on electrolytes too (I could just see her rolling her eyes). She ordered me to start drinking a hydration/electrolyte mix before, and during, my run*. I followed her advice and have not had an episode since.
Like my running club friends, I was still dealing with bladder leaks about 2 miles in, but I’d rather deal with that than collapse from dehydration. A lot of women, however, would rather deal with anything BUT bladder leaks so they avoid hydrating rather than suffer the embarrassment. This is a dangerous approach, particularly in the summer heat and humidity. Here’s why:
According to the American Council on Exercise, maintaining a constant supply of water in the body is essential to performance. Dehydration leads to muscle fatigue and loss of coordination. In a dehydrated state, the body is unable to cool itself efficiently, leading to heat exhaustion and possibly heat stroke. Without an adequate supply of water, the body will lack energy and muscles may develop cramps. To prevent dehydration, exercisers must drink before, during, and after each workout.
Still not convinced? Here’s more. The Mayo Clinic says that exercising in hot weather puts extra stress on your body. If you don't take care when exercising in the heat, you risk serious illness. Both the exercise itself and the air temperature and humidity can increase your core body temperature.
To help cool itself, your body sends more blood to circulate through your skin. This leaves less blood for your muscles, which in turn increases your heart rate. If the humidity also is high, your body faces added stress because sweat doesn't readily evaporate from your skin. That pushes your body temperature even higher. Hmmm, not good.
So, if you’re going to exercise in hot weather, it's best to start hydrating the day before. Producing lots of clear, dilute urine is a good indication that you're well-hydrated. During the activity, replenish fluids at regular intervals and continue drinking water or other fluids after you're finished. (For more Mayo Clinic wisdom, click on this link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048167)
Here's a real big reason to hydrate before exercise: dehydration concentrates the urine, resulting in a high level of minerals that will irritate the lining of the bladder and cause frequent, urgent urination and pelvic pain. In other words, by underhydrating, you are making worse the very thing you’re trying to avoid.
Finally, as we age, our sense of thirst is less reliable. You might be heading toward dehydration and not feel it until you’re in trouble. Stacy T. Sims, MSC, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist whose doctoral work centered on sex differences in hydration in the heat. (You might be familiar with her popular books ROAR and Next Level.) Dr. Sims knows a thing or two about the physiology of exercise and hydration. Check out her blog on harnessing the power of hydration here: https://www.drstacysims.com/blog/hydration-is-power-harness-yours
Okay, so now that you know what to do about hydrating, what are you going to do about leaking? As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, leaking pee during exercise, or when coughing, laughing, or doing cartwheels in the park, is common. But it is NOT normal. We recommend seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist or urogynecologist, healthcare practitioners who are trained specifically in diagnosing and treating women with pelvic floor disorders. Check out our April blog for links to provider directories. Now hydrate, get out there, have fun, and be safe!
*for hydration and fueling options, we love SkratchLabs https://skratchlabs.com