Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you drink. When your body is dehydrated, it’s not able to function normally.
You could face serious health concerns if you get too dehydrated or stay dehydrated for too long.
Staying hydrated is always important, but it’s essential when out in the elements. Attending outdoor events or festivals is one of the highest-risk activities for dehydration.
Many festivals result in a “perfect storm” of dehydration risk. Temperatures can be high, conditions can be sunny, causing people to sweat, and in most cases, they’re actively walking around or dancing.
Add to that the fact that many people consume alcohol while at festivals and events – a physical activity that will dehydrate you even faster – and it’s no wonder the health concerns that come from dehydration are so common.
The good news is there are plenty of great ways to beat dehydration when attending festivals and events. Here are seven proper hydration tips to help you avoid dehydration while attending.
1. Know the Signs of Dehydration
First and foremost, you must be able to recognize if you’re dehydrating. Your body doesn’t just go from hydrated to dehydrated in a few seconds. It will show warning signs; the earlier you spot them, the better.
Remember that thirst is a sign of dehydration, but it usually doesn’t happen until you’re far beyond the early stages of developing dehydration.
Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Instead, start drinking before you exhibit any signs of dehydration. In addition to thirst, dehydration is also indicated by:
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue
- Dry, cracked lips
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Darker than usual urine
- Reduced urine output
2. Take Advantage of Cooling Areas
Most festivals set up cooling zones designed to offer festival-goers relief from the heat. Remember, staying hydrated isn’t just about your fluid intake – it’s also about what liquid you’re releasing.
The more you sweat and urinate, the more likely you are to become dehydrated. Cooling areas tend to be covered or away from sunny areas. They might have fans or AC units to create a cooler space.
There might also be misting stations which can help to cool you down. Whatever the festival you’re attending offers, make sure you visit every few hours or more to keep your body temperature from getting too high or suffer from heat illness.
3. Dress Appropriately
If you’ve spent months planning your festival outfit, you aren’t alone. Over the years, what people wear to festivals has become just as important as who they go with and who they intend to see during the event.
Outfits have grown progressively more elaborate. And while it’s important to “dress to impress,” you should dress appropriately for hot weather.
When it comes to not getting dehydrated, you’ll want to dress in a way that prevents you from getting too hot during the event.
If there’s a risk of storms, but temps are still high, bring something along to wear if it rains or dress in layers to remove items when it’s hot and dry.
4. Drink the Right Beverages
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you’re hydrated just because you’re taking in liquids. If you’re drinking coffee or alcohol, the opposite might be true.
Both caffeine and alcohol are diuretics. The more you consume, the more you urinate, which means that as much as you’re taking in, you lose at least half that much every time you use the bathroom. Sugary drinks and energy drinks might not be the best choices either.
If you must, start your morning with a small to medium-sized cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverage to ward off headaches and get yourself moving for the day. After that, opt for non-caffeinated beverages.
Should you choose to consume alcohol throughout the event, switch off between liquor and water. This also prevents you from overdoing it with alcohol and ruining your experience.
5. Bring an Empty Water Vessel
Most festivals won’t let you bring in bottles of plain water from outside, so you’ll only have two choices: buy bottled water if they’re selling it on site, or bring an empty container or a reusable water bottle that you can refill throughout the day or night.
You have several excellent options for containers, including bottles or hydration packs. For example:
- Camelbacks
- Ospreys
- Deuter packs
- Metal water bottles
- Steel cups
6. Create a Hydration Kit
Remember, you aren’t just losing water when you sweat. Also, water loss isn’t the only thing that leads to dehydration. You also lose electrolytes when it’s hot and when you drink alcohol.
In addition to the water bottle or hydration pack you carry into the event, it’s a good idea to pack a few packets of electrolyte powder.
This is especially true if you intend to drink alcohol during the event. Sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes help you rehydrate and can prevent hangovers.
7. Hydrate Ahead of Game Time
One of the best ways to stay hydrated during a festival or event is to ensure you’re hydrated before heading out the door.
This means avoiding drinking alcohol the night before or pre-gaming with alcohol before the evening of an event.
It also means making sure you drink plenty of water in the hours leading up to when you attend the event. It likely won’t be enough to get you through several hours of concert-going, but it means you won’t be kicking things off already behind your water intake.
One of the best ways to avoid severe dehydration at festivals and other events is to have water stations onsite for event attendees.
Our mobile stations feature stainless steel fixtures, skirting, and hot-dipped galvanized frames.
We want to ensure that everyone attending your event has access to clean, potable drinking water without purchasing plastic bottles of water.
If you’d like to learn more or are interested in renting or buying one of our mobile water stations, book a quick call.