When it comes to investing in your long-term health, one of your most powerful tools might be hiding in plain sight – your water glass.

Turns out, staying well-hydrated is one of the simplest, and healthiest, habits you can adopt. A recent study found that adults who maintain healthy hydration levels are less likely to develop chronic conditions like heart disease, dementia, and may even have a longer lifespan.1

Staying properly hydrated isn’t as simple as drinking eight glasses of water a day. Your hydration requirements are as personal as your fingerprint. Here’s what you need to know about optimizing hydration for better health and longevity.

The link between hydration and a longer, healthier life

Hydration supports every cell and tissue in your body. It helps regulate temperature, remove waste, deliver nutrients, and cushion joints.2 It also improves memory, decision making skills, cognition, and mood.3

Recent results from a long-term study suggest that staying properly hydrated might be the key to healthy aging and longevity. Researchers followed over 11,000 adults for 25 years to explore whether optimal hydration – reflected by balanced serum sodium levels – could slow the aging process.1 

Note: Serum sodium is the sodium concentration in your blood, and it’s a key indicator of your body’s hydration and electrolyte balance. Sodium is an essential electrolyte that helps regulate several key functions, like maintaining normal blood pressure, supporting your nerves and muscles, and regulating your body's fluid balance.4

The results of the study revealed that middle-aged adults with a higher serum sodium level, caused by improper hydration, had a 39% increased risk of developing chronic diseases and a 21% increased risk of dying earlier. They were also more likely to show signs of aging faster than their chronological age.1

This suggests that an adult with serum sodium levels in the healthy range may live longer and experience better overall health outcomes as they age.1 

Good hydration needs a personalized approach

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for staying hydrated. You’ve probably heard the old rule: Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. That’s a good starting point, but it doesn’t consider your individual needs. Some factors that affect your fluid levels include:    

  • Activity level. Exercise, gardening, walking the dog – if it makes you sweat, you’ll need to hydrate to replace the lost fluids. If you know you’re going to get sweaty, make sure you drink before, during, and after your activity.
  • Environment. Living in or visiting hot, humid, or high-altitude areas can cause you to become dehydrated faster than being in more temperate areas.2 
  • Lost electrolytes. If you exercise intensely or for long periods of time, spend considerable time in hot weather, or experience nausea and vomiting, you likely need to replace both fluids and electrolytes. Sports drinks and electrolyte-infused water are good options and chocolate milk has been shown to be an effective recovery drink after prolonged exercise.5 But be sure to read the label for total calories and keep an eye out for hidden sugars on your drink of choice.
  • Medical conditions and medicines. Acute illnesses like gastroenteritis, and chronic conditions like heart failure and diabetes, increase your fluid needs.6,7 Diuretics and some blood pressure medications can cause fluid loss and require you to increase hydration. 
  • Age. Older adults are more at risk of becoming dehydrated. The aging process decreases the body's ability to sense thirst, so the urge to drink can decrease.8 Recent research also shows that older adults have a harder time regulating body temperature. This increases the risk of dehydration when exercising.9
  • Body weight and size. People with a higher body mass index, or BMI, have higher hydration needs.10

Check in with your body 

Many people aren’t properly hydrated and don’t realize it. The signs can be subtle. In fact, by the time your body signals that you’re thirsty, you might already be dehydrated.

The best way to monitor your hydration levels is to check your urine. If it’s clear or light yellow, you’re probably well hydrated. If it’s dark yellow or amber colored, you likely need to increase your fluid intake. 

Other signs of dehydration can include:6,7 

  • Feeling tired or sluggish.
  • Frequent headaches.
  • Dry skin.
  • Brain fog or difficulty concentrating.
  • Confusion.
  • Constipation.

Boost your health with a new habit

So how do you hydrate in a way that best supports your health and longevity? Start making small, sustainable changes.

  • Explore alternatives. Unsweetened tea, coconut water, vegetable juice, and unsweetened sparkling drinks can add to your fluid intake. Want to stick to water but need more flavor? Add a few pieces of fruit, like strawberries, lemon or lime, or herbs, like fresh basil or mint. 
  • Hydrate for exercise and sweat. For every pound of sweat you lose, you need about 24 ounces of fluid to replace it.11 To find out how much you lose, weigh yourself before you begin an activity or exercise. Then weigh yourself again once you’ve finished. This will give you a rough idea of how much you need to hydrate.
  • Pay attention to thirst, but don’t rely solely on it: If you’re thirsty, your body is telling you it needs fluid. But thirst isn’t always the best indicator of how much fluid you’ve lost – or how much you need.12 Keep an eye out for the other symptoms outlined in this article as well. 
  • Build your hydration goals into your daily routine. Start your day with a glass of water and continue to sip all day long. Get a reusable water bottle or tumbler and keep it with you. Helpful tip: Make sure it fits the cupholder in your car. 
  • Go high tech. There are several apps that can calculate how much water you need, track your intake, and remind you to drink. 
  • Eat your water. You might be surprised by how much water is in fresh food. In fact, many fruits and vegetables, like watermelon and spinach, are almost 100% water by weight.2 Soups and broths can also help boost your fluid levels.8

Your health is worth it

Hydration might seem like a small detail in the overall landscape of your health, but its impact is surprisingly powerful. Staying well-hydrated can help you feel more energized, think more clearly, and live a longer, healthier life.

It’s a simple change that anyone can make, and you can start today. Find an approach that works for you, listen to your body, and let hydration be one of the easiest wellness wins in your daily routine.

A word from Thorne

As the wise Mayo doc suggests, watch for sources of sugar in your electrolyte products. Thorne offers two electrolyte formulas with little or no sugar. Thorne’s Catalyte has less than 1 gram of sugar and contains all the electrolytes and water-soluble vitamins lost in sweat.

Available in mango limeade, watermelon, and blood orange, Daily Electrolytes has no sugar and provides just the electrolytes – sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride – in single-serve stick packs. Can’t decide what flavor sounds best? Try them all in the Variety Pack.

References

  1. Dmitrieva NI, Gagarin A, Liu D, et al. Middle-age high normal serum sodium as a risk factor for accelerated biological aging, chronic diseases, and premature mortality. EBioMedicine. 2023;87:104404.
  2. Water: How much should you drink each day? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256. [Accessed May 1, 2025]. 
  3. Masento NA, Golightly M, Field DT, et al. Effects of hydration status on cognitive performance and mood. Br J Nutr. 2014;111:1841-1852.
  4. Dehydration. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086. [Accessed May 5, 2025].
  5. Amiri M, Ghiasvand R, Kaviani M,  et al. Chocolate milk for recovery from exercise: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2019;73:835-849.
  6. Hyponatremia. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711. [Accessed May 22, 2025].
  7. Staying hydrated, staying healthy. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/staying-hydrated-staying-healthy. [Accessed May 5, 2025].
  8. How to stay hydrated for better health. National Council on Aging. https://www.ncoa.org/article/how-to-stay-hydrated-for-better-health. [Accessed May 5, 2025].
  9. Meade RD, Notley SR, Rutherford MM, et al. Ageing attenuates the effect of extracellular hyperosmolality on whole-body heat exchange during exercise-heat stress. J Physiol. 2020;598:5133-5148.
  10. Chang T, Ravi N, Plegue MA, et al. Inadequate hydration, BMI, and obesity among US adults: NHANES 2009-2012. Ann Fam Med. 2016;14:320-324.
  11. McDermott BP, Anderson SA, Armstrong LE, et al. National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Fluid replacement for the physically active. J Athl Train. 2017;52:877-895.
  12. Adams WM, Vandermark LW, Belval LN, et al. The utility of thirst as a measure of hydration status following exercise-induced dehydration. Nutrients. 2019;11:2689.