Water is the source of life, and there are many dangers to the lack of water in the body, so "how to drink water scientifically" is a compulsory course for everyone's health.
As the elderly age, the ability of the kidneys to concentrate urine decreases, the feeling of thirst will be weakened, and the frequency of active drinking will decrease. In addition, the metabolic rate of middle-aged and elderly people slows down, and the body's ability to regulate water balance will also decrease.
Therefore, middle-aged and elderly people are often more likely to be in a state of water shortage, and they need to learn to drink water scientifically.
To stay away from the harm of water shortage, middle-aged and elderly people must first correct the following common drinking water misunderstandings:
Myth 1: Drink water only when you're thirsty
Due to the decline of the function of various organs in the body, the circulation and metabolism of the elderly will decrease, and the sensitivity of the nervous system will decrease, and the body is prone to lack of water but do not feel "thirsty". At this time, if the person isFeeling thirsty and having a serious lack of water in the body may be accompanied by discomfort such as upset and oliguria.
Myth 2: If you have less urine, you don't need to control your water intake
For middle-aged and elderly people with renal dysfunction, they should not blindly replenish water, and should decide how much water they drink a day according to the amount of urine. Usually,The amount of water you drink in a day is about 500 ml plus the amount of urine you have from the previous day
Myth 3: Don't drink water if you urinate frequently
With the increase of age, the bladder's urine storage capacity will naturally decrease, and the decline of function and diseases will lead to frequent urination and urgency in middle-aged and elderly people, and sometimes they dare not drink more water. However, it shouldDrink water as appropriate according to your own situation, rather than not drinking water at all.
Drinking water may seem like a simple everyday thing, but it can be life-saving when it matters most. In the cold winter, middle-aged and elderly people should prepare three glasses of water to help stay away from diseases and accidents.
First glass of water – when eating
Once people are old, they will have different degrees of indigestion, and many middle-aged and elderly people will even have the problem of swallowing disorders, and they are particularly easy to choke when eating. Don't underestimate this problem, choking on middle-aged and elderly people is actually very dangerous, and there is a chance to take your own life if you are not careful.
Therefore, when middle-aged and elderly people are eating, it is recommended to prepare a glass of warm boiled water next to it, and drink saliva quickly once they choke. Note that it is not appropriate for others to assist at this time, and it is safest to let middle-aged and elderly people drink water by themselves, because they can better grasp the amount of water they drink, the speed of drinking water, etc.
Second glass of water – before bowel movements
During bowel movements, people usually hold their breath and strain their abdomen. However, there are some potential risks associated with this process:Persistent breath-holding increases intra-abdominal pressure, which in turn increases heart rate, blood pressure, and myocardial oxygen consumption, at which point the load on the heart increases considerably.
For middle-aged and elderly people and people suffering from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, the act of straining to defecate can cause angina, arrhythmia and acute heart failure, and in severe cases, it may even lead to myocardial infarction, accidental cardiovascular rupture and other life-threatening conditions.
So, what is the relationship between constipation and drinking water?In fact, proper water intake before defecation can also help improve constipation, because drinking water properly can moisten the intestines, help soften stool masses, and promote bowel movements.
The third glass of water – after waking up at night
According to relevant research,The human body excretes an average of 450 millilitres of water overnightThe most viscous time of the day is between midnight and early morning, because people are mostly asleep and unable to drink water, but still lose water (e.g., by breathing, sweating, urinating, etc.).
For middle-aged and elderly people, if they do not drink water all night, the blood viscosity will increase, which will increase the risk of thrombosis, which may lead to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases, such as angina, myocardial infarction and cerebral thrombosis.
Therefore, it is recommended that middle-aged and elderly people drink appropriate water before going to bed and after waking up at night to dilute blood viscosity and thus reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. It should be noted that the amount of water consumed during these two periods should not be too much, so as not to affect the quality of sleep due to frequent waking up at night.