If I asked what sense declines with age, I would wager that the last response I would receive from my readers is ‘common sense.’ Pretty much everyone on this blog would agree that common sense increases over the age of 50. Perchance, it even increases on a forward trajectory curve – nearly straight up. Certainly any studies suggesting otherwise must either be ill-designed or using a totally biased assessment instrument, with a highly unusual control and experimental group. Hence we are all convinced that we are acquiring an increased level of common sense with each passing hour – with each passing minute.
That can’t be said of all our senses (whether thinking inside or outside the Big 5). We might proceed with this question in several different directions, but I am still not certain that the answer I am looking for would be in the top ten guesses. So what sense declines with age? Thirst.
As our years increase our sensitivity to thirst decreases. It follows that with less sense of thirst, we don’t think about drinking. Thus we drink less. If we don’t consume enough fluid, and if we don’t recognize the body’s present state of thirst, we can become dehydrated — whether mildly, severely or any point in between. I am not certain that I have personally detected this loss of awareness in myself. However, since limited consumption is a poor habit, one ubiquitous and typical in both young and old, I make every attempt to drink regularly. This is especially important when we exercise, drink alcohol, or are in any situation that creates sweating or an increase in body temperature.
I don’t worry about taking in too much fluid; it’s the rare person who does that. The advantages of remembering to drink include ridding the body of metabolized fat and waste, suppressing appetite, relieving constipation or even avoiding muscle spasm, as I wrote about recently. The bottom line is that it’s vital. Yet our sensitively to requirements may decrease, failing to send us timely warning signals. We have to work drinking into our habitual routine, whether we feel thirsty or not.
Timing
Another tip to aid hydration for seniors is daily timing. Drinking a larger proportion of our daily allotment in the first half of our day allows us to hydrate the body and yet be sensitive to (perhaps avoid) possible nocturia problems. Still, it may be significant for heart health not to go to bed thirsty. So when in doubt, drink another cup. A related and helpful routine is to consume a large amount of water upon rising in the morning.
WHAT ABOUT AMOUNTS?
My favorite easy guide considers physical differences and takes body mass into account, versus the typical 8-cups/day recommendation. This is the simple key:
drink ½ of your weight in ounces daily.
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Example, a woman lucky enough to weigh 120 lb. would drink 60 ounces a day (a bit more than 7 cups). While I use the word ‘drink,’ a portion of daily fluid may come in forms other than our water bottle, such as juice surrounding fruit and veggies, a main-dish gravy, or a watery sauce prepared to dress a grain.
Thus, the final reminder is that all fluids count! All fluids, except maybe that potato vodka in my freezer.
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Picture credits. Title-Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Sipping picture: funny-pictuers.picphotos.net
