When it is 40°C outside, thirst is a late signal. Here is how to stay ahead of dehydration, and the warning signs that mean you should stop and get help.
Lahore summers regularly push past 40°C, and by the time you feel thirsty your body has already lost more fluid than it wanted to. Dehydration creeps up quietly: a headache, a dull tiredness, a shorter temper, long before anything dramatic happens.
Drink before you are thirsty
Aim for a glass of water every hour you are awake during peak summer, not a litre in one go when you finally notice. Small and frequent absorbs far better than large and rare.
If you have been sweating heavily (outdoor work, a commute on a bike, a long queue), plain water alone will not replace what you lost. You also lost salts.
When to reach for an ORS
An oral rehydration salts sachet is worth taking when you have had:
- heavy sweating for more than an hour
- vomiting or loose motions
- a fever that has run for a day or more
Mix the whole sachet into the volume of clean water printed on the packet. Not less, not more. A stronger mix is not a better one, and it can make things worse.
Signs you should not wait out
Get medical help if you see:
- no urine for eight hours or more, or urine the colour of strong tea
- dizziness on standing that does not settle within a minute
- confusion, slurred speech or unusual drowsiness
- a child who is floppy, sunken-eyed or crying without tears
These are not “drink more water” situations. In small children and elderly relatives in particular, dehydration turns serious quickly.
What we keep in stock
We hold ORS sachets, electrolyte drinks and rehydration supplies at both branches all summer. If you are not sure which is right for the person you are looking after (a toddler and a seventy-year-old need different things), message us and a pharmacist will tell you.