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When it’s cold outside, hydration is probably the last thing on your mind. You might go for hours on the ski slope without a single sip of electrolyte water. In the winter months, it doesn’t seem like you’re sweating much. And thirst doesn’t arise like it does during summer.
Yet both cold and altitude—prerequisites for most winter sports—create deceptively challenging hydration situations. You may not feel super thirsty, but you’re losing fluids and electrolytes nonetheless. And if these aren’t replaced, you won’t feel or perform your best.
The truth is, the average person doesn’t consume enough fluids during winter activities. So all you skiers, snowboarders, sledders, ice skaters, alpinists, cold weather runners, and snowmobilers… this article is for you.
Yep, cold increases hydration requirements. I’ll explain why in a bit.
But the opposite problem—overwatering winter activities—needs airtime too. When cold weather endurance athletes pound too many fluids without adequate electrolytes, they can develop a dangerous low-sodium condition called hyponatremia.
This is a common occurrence in uber-athletes running ultra marathons through the brutal Alaskan winter. By the end of the race, their sodium levels have plummeted. And the symptoms of hyponatremia are not pleasant.
The point is: When it’s nippy out, we need to find a balance. A Goldilocks amount of fluids and electrolytes. Not too little and not too much. That’s how we’ll dominate the slopes—or our driveways, when we need to bust out the shovel.
I wrote this article to help you find that balance through the cold months.
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