How Long Does it Take to Rehydrate your Body? (2024)

FAQs

How Long Does it Take to Rehydrate your Body? ›

For mild issues, you can begin to rehydrate in a just few minutes. However, you will need to rest and continue to replace fluids for several hours before you begin to feel better. This process can take up to 36 hours- and possibly hospital treatment- to recover from more advanced dehydration.

It depends on a variety of factors such as how dehydrated you are and how much water you drink at once. In general, however, it usually takes about two hours for your body to rehydrate fully after drinking a significant amount of water.

1. Water. No surprises here. Water is always going to be one of the best drinks to hydrate.

Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates and protein for its effectiveness.

We grab a bottle of water and guzzle it down, often in one go, to satisfy that thirst. But that's not really the best way to hydrate, says Lindsay Baker, PhD, a senior principal scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. “In general, it's best to sip a little bit throughout the day,” Baker says.

If you are experiencing mild dehydration, the body can rehydrate in 45 minutes with around 600mL of water. For more severe dehydration, it can take longer and will usually require medical attention. The more dehydrated you are, the longer it will take for your body to recover.

Water is the ideal hydration choice because it moves quickly though your digestive system and into your tissues. Stay hydrated by sipping small amounts of water throughout the day; avoid chugging down fluids right before exercising to avoid stomach discomfort and bloating.

Surprised? Plain water is the best way to hydrate, no second guessing necessary. And this stylish water bottle makes it easy to drink enough.

How do you know if you are dangerously dehydrated? ›

Signs of severe dehydration include: Not peeing or having very dark yellow pee. Very dry skin. Feeling dizzy.

Soda, or pop, is one of the unhealthiest beverages you can drink. For millions of consumers, the sweet, syrupy taste and crisp carbonation makes soda hard to refuse—despite the fact that the high sugar content is a health hazard. Each can of soda contains 138 calories and approximately 39 grams of sugar.

If one were to eat a medium-sized wedge or slice of watermelon — a fruit with a high water content — let's say about 286 grams, the person would consume 262 grams of water. That is a good way to hydrate your body, but it is not twice as much water as an 8 ounce glass of water as the post claimed.

Diuretic Effect: Some teas, especially those containing caffeine, can have a mild diuretic effect, meaning they may increase urine production. This can contribute to fluid loss and potentially lead to dehydration if not balanced with sufficient water intake.

The body needs lots of water to carry out many essential functions, such as balancing the internal temperature and keeping cells alive. As a general rule of thumb, a person can survive without water for about 3 days.

Dehydration occurs when your body does not have as much water and fluids as it needs. Dehydration can be mild, moderate, or severe, based on how much of your body's fluid is lost or not replaced. Severe dehydration is a life-threatening emergency.

It takes a period of more than 24 hours to enter severe dehydration, though Vrablik notes it takes less time if you are losing fluid because you are sweating. “As your kidneys shut down the rest of your body starts to suffer: your brain, liver and, eventually, your heart,” Vrablik says.

Mild to moderate dehydration can be cured by simply rehydrating your body with fluids. Eating foods with a high water content will also help with rehydration, such as fruits and vegetables. Strawberries and watermelon are 91% water, while lettuce can contain 96% water and celery 95%, according to My Food Data.