Dehydration and asthma

[Willow7733]

I was wondering if anyone has heard anything about dehydration and worsening of asthma symptoms? I have the bad habit of not drinking much, if at all, during the day. Some days I drink maybe two glasses of water. Trying to be more healthy, and working on drinking more. I have noticed my asthma symptoms worsening the past month. I know the pollen is affecting me, but I know I am dehydrated (my skin is dry, urine is dark etc). Just wondering if maybe it is the reason I cough so much in the mornings. I am so congested these days.

[Tugun]

Hi Willow,

Dehydration doesn't help any part of your body and for your immune system to be working well you do need to be hydrated. Where I live the chlorine content of the water is high. I discovered that when I used a filter my body lapped up the water. I found it easier to drink more and felt much better. When I went back on to chlorinated water, I realized why I hadn't been a big water drinker. My body didn't like it and I only could take so much before I really didn't want any more. Now I only drink filtered water or boiled tap water in tea. I feel much better for drinking filtered water.

[17Rose]

Hi Willow. Being dehydrated can definitely affect your asthma. Some days I know I dont drink enough and then my asthma is more fragile. Also when you have an attack, the effort of breathing means you expel more moisture from your lungs which makes you more dehydrated.

[Wheezycat]

I can relate to that, though I am not as bad at it a you are. But often I just don’t remember. I do have tea and coffee, but not keen on any version of cold drinks and so on. But it is important to aim for that straw coloured urine for all sorts of reasons as Tugun says. So first try to find something, some water you do like, but the other one can also be to fill a container with the amount of water your body actually need per day, and then just aim to finish it. It is hard if it doesn’t come naturally, but still it matters.

As for asthma, if you get mucous in your chest that you need to cough up, the mucous will be thicker and far less easy to shift if you don’t drink enough, and that certainly won’t help your chest.

[watergazer]

Hi Willow Maybe as mentioned above your tap water doesn't taste great. I personally don't like the taste of our tap water so when things are normal I buy still spring water however since lockdown I have been boiling water and drinking that either warm or when it has cooled. I pour some into a few cups after boiling As others have said drinking fluids is beneficial to all our bodies' systems and if your urine is very dark it indicates you are not drinking enough. As others have said I aim for straw coloured urine too. Take care. Try to drink more water or tea and see if it benefits your asthma. Anita x

[daleboy3]

You need to drink 2 litres of water a day to hydrate the skin & help relieve build up of toxins in your organs, cut back on tea & coffee also use the juice of a lemon into a large glass of water & drink daily the lemon cleanses the body your urine will go light in colour plus it’s got vitamins in, I personally use two lemons whole blended including the pips that contain minute micro nutrients & make 1 litre of this solution in water boil it then simmer very low for 20 minutes cool & drink this daily adding 50% more water to half a glass of lemon juice, store the rest in a fridge in air tight container for up to 5 days

[Willow7733]

I have bought a water filter and will keep a pitcher of water in the fridge to try and remind myself to drink more. It is just really bad habit, and I am determined to break it. I do wake up every morning coughing up a lot of mucus...never smoked in my life but I sound like I have. Hoping this will help.

[Gwalltarian]

Drink as much water as you can

[Willow7733]

I am going to measure out two litres of water and my goal today is to drink as much of it as I can. Hoping to work up to drinking it all per day. Also, going to try drinking water not for the tap. Maybe it is the taste I don’t like...I am not sure. Thank you all so much for the help!