It’s easy to forget that we humans need water when we are in the middle of a six-hour streaming session. We’ll explain why water is important for streaming.
Water is the life essence of humanity. Without water, we’d be a race of raisin people! MUAHAHA…. cough cough. Excuse me…
The fact is, we need water in order to function properly and ultimately live. Maintaining a good fluid intake is essential to this process, and is especially important for streamers. The reasons are varied and many, but suffice it to say they aren’t worth your time to explain all the nuances about it.
If you are feeling thirsty, you are dehydrated and your body is telling you this. Don’t ignore the signs it gives you. Especially when staying hydrated will allow you to provide a higher quality stream for people to watch.
TL;DR – Just drink water when you feel thirsty.
Table of Contents
Sips for staying Hydrated with water
There are actually some pretty cool bots you can use to remind yourself to stay hydrated for long-duration streams:
- Stay Hydrated Bot
- Stay Healthy Bot – Supports more than just Hydration, our recommended choice.
These bots will remind you at set intervals to drink some fluids, and provide handy health tips on demand for those of you who are health-conscious.
Your health is the most important thing to maintain as a streamer because if you get sick, you will be hard-pressed to provide a high-quality stream, if at all. Having a regular intake of fluid will give the body some nutrients in the form of dissolved minerals, and allow your immune system strength to grow.
It does not matter much what you drink, barring sugary drinks and alcohol. Those drinks tend to have the opposite effect on your health. Alcohol can even make you more dehydrated so it is something to consider. If you are drinking on stream, you’ll need to increase your water intake to balance it out.
Electrolyte infused fluids are great sources
If you don’t know what an electrolyte is, you aren’t alone. We’ve done a bit of research into this subject, and we think this article by Healthline best describes what an electrolyte is in an easy-to-read format.
Here is a brief synopsis: Electrolytes provide the body with the charged ions it needs to maintain your hydration, ph levels (how acidic or basic something is), and supports the body’s nervous system, as well as contracting your muscles. In short, it’s good stuff.
While that is an incredibly basic explanation, it gets the point across. Electrolytes are good for maintaining healthy bodily functions.
Electrolyte Sources
Every other week, I buy an 8 pack of Gatorade Flow Strawberry Kiwi (would recommend finding this at your local Wal-Mart/etc or to buy their variety pack. Pretty expensive online.) which keeps me well-hydrated and a source of the aforementioned electrolytes. I usually drink two a day and finish the week drinking water.
You can choose any of the flavored offerings by Gatorade, or even other options, like Powerade, are suitable. I am not a fan of Powerade though, it kind of tastes like copper meets carbonation zest(minus the bubbles) to me. (Yes, I’ve licked a penny. I know what it tastes like. What? I was 7 and was dared to! Do you expect me to lose out on a dare? Hah!)
A more serious note
Adult Mr. Goodhand here. Staying hydrated is a serious matter, and should not be taken lightly. There was a time I would drink maybe a glass a day, sometimes not at all. I had rampant headaches, cramps, and generally just felt ill all the time.
Eventually, I took it to the doctors about what ailed me, and they found that I was seriously dehydrated for a prolonged duration and that continuing to run on E was risking my heart, teeth (due to Dry Mouth), and a myriad of other serious health issues. All because I didn’t really care to get up and get a drink cause I was “too busy to waste 2 minutes to get a drink when I could be using that time being productive”. Guess what, As a result of not spending those two minutes to get a drink, I spent hours transiting to and fro doctors’ offices.
Luckily, I have good health coverage, but someone else may not be so lucky. I can not stress enough, If you feel thirsty, just get a drink of water or your choice of electrolyte-infused beverage.
Staying Hydrated literally solved all of my health issues listed above and even has affected my mood, for an all-around general improvement in demeanor. So it stands that We, Streamer’s Haven, strongly recommends staying hydrated, especially for long-duration streams.
A warning though, Don’t drink too much. As they say, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. If you drink when you feel thirsty at all, that’s all you really need. 6-8 glasses a day is a myth.
Mental Health Awareness articles
Digital Detox is a fantastic way of managing over-work and depression. As well as sources to help fend off these issues. Kudos to our Partnered community Hype Speed for providing a place for streamers to talk about their #health-and-wellness.