TL;DR — If you need to rehydrate fast, drink an oral rehydration solution (ORS) with potassium, sodium, and magnesium. These electrolytes speed up fluid absorption to help you rehydrate faster than water alone.
Most advice on “staying hydrated” boils down to sipping plain water throughout the day. That’s easy if you’re sitting around with a water bottle at arm’s reach. But let’s get real: life happens. You’ve got workouts to crush, flights to catch, and parties to attend. Before you know it, you’re thirsty AF with a dry mouth and brain fog.
Now you gotta know: How can I rehydrate fast?
When you start to notice symptoms of dehydration, you might be tempted to guzzle a gallon of water. But plain old H2O doesn’t have the electrolytes you need to overcome fluid loss.
Not to mention, drinking water alone can dilute the concentration of sodium in your blood, which can lead to a (potentially) lethal condition called hyponatremia.
Whether you’re battling a brutal hangover, recovering from a run, or spending all day in the sun, here are five tips to rehydrate in a hurry.
1. Replenish Your Electrolyte Levels
Replenishing your electrolytes is essential for rapid rehydration. In case you skipped science class, electrolytes are essential minerals that balance your fluid levels and transport nutrients throughout your body.
When you sweat, you don’t just lose fluids—you lose vital electrolytes that move those fluids in and out of your cells. Make no mistake: Drinking enough water is essential to rehydrate. But without electrolytes, your body can’t make the best use of those fluids.
There are three key electrolytes you need to hydrate fast:
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Magnesium
Sure, you can get these electrolytes from a balanced diet. But if you want to hydrate quickly, WaterBoy is a no-brainer. Each stick of WaterBoy Weekend Recovery is packed with 3,200mg of electrolytes—more than 3 times the amount of a certain competitor who shall not be named…
Hydration + Weekend Recovery
$24.99
💧 3,200mg of electrolytes 🚫 0g of sugar 🤢 raw ginger extract for nausea 😌 l-theanine to help you chill ⚡️ vitamins to help you bounce back … read more
2. Replenish Your Water Levels
Whether you get it from the tap or a fancy bottle, water is the foundation for fast rehydration. Specifically, you should aim to drink about half your body weight in ounces of water per day. (So if you’re 150 pounds, that means 75 ounces or about 9 cups).
If you’ve been too busy to drink water, you might be tempted to slug a whole day’s worth of water in one sitting. But your body can’t absorb all those fluids at once. Not to mention, flooding your gut with water can throw your electrolyte balance out of whack, leading to symptoms like nausea, headache, confusion, and muscle cramps.
Even when you’re trying to rehydrate fast, limit your fluid intake to no more than one liter (34 ounces) of water in one hour.
3. Eat Water-Rich Fruits and Veggies
Fun fact: You can eat your fluids. Mayo Clinic notes that 20% of your daily water intake comes from water-rich foods, (primarily fruits and vegetables). If you’re trying to rehydrate fast, skip the junk food and stock up on these hydrating snacks:
- Cucumber (95% water)
- Celery (95% water)
- Watermelon (92% water)
- Strawberries (91% water)
- Cantaloupe (90% water)
4. Rest Up
If you were looking for an excuse to veg out on your couch and do absolutely nothing, here it is.
Rest plays a huge role in the rehydration process by allowing your body to focus its energy on restoring fluid balance and replenishing electrolytes. When you consume fluids, (especially those containing electrolytes) your body can absorb them more efficiently when you're chilling compared to when you're out and about.
5. Avoid Stuff That Dehydrates You
This sounds like common sense, but it’s easy to accidentally indulge in foods and drinks that deplete your fluids. Here’s a list of stuff to avoid when you’re trying to rehydrate fast:
- Caffeine: Coffee, tea, energy drinks, and caffeinated sodas have diuretic effects that flush fluids out of your body. Although coffee is 99% water and can have a net hydrating effect, you’re better off drinking water—or better yet, WaterBoy.
- Added Sugar: Sugar can trigger osmotic diuresis, which is a fancy way of saying your kidneys try to flush the excess sugar out of your bloodstream. (Yes, this includes sports drinks and hangover supplements).
- Alcohol: We love Bloody Marys and beers as much as the next guy, but booze is the last thing you need when you’re trying to hydrate.
How Long Does It Take to Rehydrate?
The time it takes to rehydrate depends on how much fluid you’ve lost. Think of it like your phone’s battery: It takes way longer to recharge your phone when it’s at 1% as opposed to 70%.
For mild to moderate dehydration, drinking a combination of water and electrolytes can relieve your symptoms in as little as 5 to 10 minutes, according to Cleveland Clinic. Pretty impressive, eh?
If you don’t replenish your fluids and electrolytes, you can veer into severe dehydration territory.
In these severe cases, it can take up to 24 hours to fully rehydrate. In rare instances, this requires a trip to the doctor for intravenous (IV) hydration.
The good news is it takes way less time to rehydrate than to become dehydrated.
Hydrate In a Hurry with WaterBoy
Whether you’re trying to rehydrate after hitting the gym or hitting the bar, a glass of water won’t cut it. If you want rapid dehydration relief, you gotta load up on electrolytes—without loading up on sugar. That’s where WaterBoy comes in.
Clocking in with 3,200 mg of electrolytes, each Weekend Recovery stick has a precise balance of potassium, magnesium, and chloride to dunk on dehydration. Just rip it, mix it, and feel your cells come back to life, literally.
It’s basically a Tesla supercharger for your fluid levels.
Hydration + Weekend Recovery
$24.99
💧 3,200mg of electrolytes 🚫 0g of sugar 🤢 raw ginger extract for nausea 😌 l-theanine to help you chill ⚡️ vitamins to help you bounce back … read more
