Diving Dehydrated

Just like any adventure sport, hydration is so important to your overall health when diving. Water plays such an important part in regulating your body. It controls your body temperature; it removes toxins from your vital organs; it helps your cardiovascular system get oxygen to your brain. When you’re dehydrated, your blood thickens, your heart rate speeds up, blood pressure spikes, and your whole system strains to function.

Because we are in the water, we don't think of hydration as being as important as it is when we are skiing or cycling. But we lose water a variety of ways diving. From the sunny tropical weather we enjoy on vacation, to sweating from the exertion of swimming against current, to peeing in your wetsuit (at least, for those of you who pee in your wetsuits), we lose fluids constantly while diving. Dehydration leads to inefficient breathing, compromised judgment, fatigue and cramping, and increase risk of decompression sickness.

This can be especially dangerous while diving. Off gassing of nitrogen occurs through the blood stream. If blood thickens, the off-gassing process is compromised.

Current medical recommendations are that women should drink 2-3 liters of water per day, and men should drink 3-4 liters. In addition to drinking water, you can stay hydrated by:

• Wearing sunscreen—sunburn complicates dehydration
• Mitigating seasickness—vomiting can drain electrolytes and worsen dehydration
• Replenishing electrolytes and sugars--Fruit is very hydrating and a great snack between dives
• Limit diuretics—alcohol can be very dehydrating if you aren’t drinking enough water

Most importantly, when packing for your next dive trip, make sure to bring along a reusable water bottle and drink up between dives. Peeing in your wetsuit is a small price to pay for a safe and healthy dive.