Increasing your water intake is a simple way that you may be able to improve some of your peri-menopause and menopause symptoms. The importance of drinking water is widely known, however at menopause staying hydrated becomes even more important. Female hormones can influence thirst and fluid regulation. Our bodies are at least 60% water and as it is harder to retain water after the menopause. This is because a loss of oestrogen can have a 'drying' impact on our body - as you may well know a loss of oestrogen can result in drier hair, skin and vulva/vagina.
The brain is 80% water and being even slightly dehydrated can impact on brain fog, fatigue, cause dizziness and confusion. A lack of water in the body can also impact the amount of hot flashes you might get. If you find yourself suffering from night sweats, that is your body losing additional water so you may have to drink a bit more to replenish this.
Being dehydrated can also affect other systems, it can lead to constipation, headaches, effect joints and is helpful for pelvic health. People with incontinence often under drink water which exacerbates symptoms rather than helps.
When trying to increase your water intake, try to drink little and often. Using a bottle of a certain volume i.e. 500ml that you refill throughout the day will help you to track your intake. Ideally you want to aim for 1.5 - 2L day. You can also drink herbal teas or diluting juice/squash in your water if you find plain water boring or difficult to drink.