Can I drink water immediately after exercise?

Nowadays, many people pay more attention to health preservation. When you walk into the park, you will often see people doing different kinds of exercise, some doing Tai Chi, some taking a walk, some running, some dancing, etc. Many people carry some water when they exercise in order to replenish the lost water in the body in time. So can you drink water immediately after exercise? This is an issue that many people are concerned about. Let’s take a look at it together!

During long periods of exercise, especially in the summer or in a hot and humid environment, you should pay more attention to drinking water. The best way to replenish water is to drink small amounts multiple times. During exercise, drink 150 to 200 ml of water every 15 to 20 minutes, and the total water intake per hour should not exceed 600 ml. This can maintain the water balance in the body without increasing the burden on the heart and gastrointestinal tract due to drinking large amounts of water. You can also drink water before exercise and replenish 300 ml of water 1 hour before exercise.

Rehydrating after exercise should also be done in small amounts and multiple times. As water is lost, body fluids are also lost, and electrolytes such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium contained in the body fluids are also lost. Therefore, you can also choose to supplement with some sports drinks (cold boiled water with a little salt or low-sugar drinks are also fine). However, the sugar content of the beverage cannot be too high, because if the sugar concentration is too high, the beverage will stay in the stomach for too long, and water will not enter the body in time.

Generally speaking, the sugar concentration in beverages in the summer should not exceed 5%, preferably around 2.5%, while in the winter it can be between 5% and 15%. The water temperature is not the colder the better, 8 to 14 degrees Celsius is appropriate. In addition, if you exercise in the morning, since the body loses water after a night of sleep, the tissues, organs and cells throughout the body are in a relatively dehydrated state. Therefore, you need to replenish water before exercise, but not too much, 150 to 200 ml is enough. It is not advisable to drink a large amount of water at one time during strenuous exercise or before and after exercise. When exercising, you should drink small amounts of water frequently. It is best to drink light salt water or salty drinks to maintain the water-electrolyte balance in the body. Exercise not only consumes energy, but also consumes water. Especially in the summer, exercising often causes dry mouth and tongue. How to replenish the lost water in the body is also an aspect that needs attention.

The first is the quality of drinking water. You should try not to drink various beverages, such as soda; drink boiled water, mung bean soup, or 1% light salt water to remove heat and summer heat, and replenish the sodium lost in the body due to excessive sweating.

The second is to avoid drinking too cold water. Because the normal human body temperature is around 37 degrees, it can rise to around 39 degrees after exercise. If you drink too cold water, it will strongly stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, causing gastrointestinal smooth muscle spasm and sudden contraction of blood vessels, causing gastrointestinal dysfunction and leading to indigestion.

The third is the amount of water you drink. You sweat a lot during exercise, so you naturally need to drink more water, but you cannot drink enough at one time, you need to drink it in several times. The amount of water you drink at one time should generally not exceed 200 ml, and there should be at least 15 minutes between two drinks. In addition, drink water slowly, not too fast. Exercise not only consumes energy, but also consumes water. Especially in the summer, exercising often causes dry mouth and tongue. How to replenish the lost water in the body is also an aspect that needs attention.

Generally speaking, don't drink water immediately after strenuous exercise, because the body is under a lot of strain after strenuous exercise. If you drink water in large gulps, it will increase the burden on your heart. Also, be careful when drinking water. Don't drink beverages. Don't use beverages instead of water, especially carbonated beverages. The more you drink, the thirstier you will be. Don't drink water that is too cold. Pay attention to the amount of water you drink. Don't drink all at once. It's best to drink in small sips.