Why It’s Important To Stay Hydrated During Exercise, Even in Winter

Don’t Sweat It? When temperatures drop, it’s easy to let hydration slide. You’re sweating less, you may not feel as thirsty, and when it’s cold outside, cold water doesn’t seem appetizing. But staying hydrated during your workouts, especially longer and more challenging ones, is important to keep your body operating at full capacity — even if it doesn’t necessarily make you run faster or lift heavier.

The Study: A new systematic review examined 24 studies involving 225 total participants to investigate how drinking during endurance exercise affects performance. In all of the studies, participants performed at least 60 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise. The researchers found that hydration was associated with a lower core body temperature and reduced heart rate, two factors that are generally associated with better aerobic exercise performance. Interestingly, however, there was no clear improvement in timed performance, such as completing a set distance faster.

Takeaway: Think of hydration as helping your body handle the workload, not necessarily helping you win the race. Drinking water during prolonged exercise may reduce cardiovascular and thermal strain, making it easier to keep going.

Keep in Mind: Most studies in the review were small, only 20 participants were women, and researchers rated the certainty of all major findings as very low. Adjust your hydration plan for the workout duration and intensity, weather conditions, and individual sweat loss.