Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash" />Cosy hands holding cup of herbal tea.

In the summer, it is quite easy to know when your body is starting to feel dehydrated but, according to Hannah Belsham, Health and Wellbeing Physiologist at Nuffield Health, our thirst response diminishes by up to 40% during these colder months.

Basically, we don’t feel as thirsty even when our body needs fluids. She adds: “The dry, heated indoor air also increases water loss through breathing and the skin.

“Add in caffeine, alcohol, and comforting salty foods that are common this time of year and dehydration can quietly creep in (even when you’re not sweating).”

Not ideal.

Huffpost UK spoke with Belsham and her colleague, Kim Goldin, Senior GP and Health Assessment Doctor at Nuffield Health at Nuffield Health to learn more about how to stay hydrated in winter.

The cold weather effect on our water balance

As well as making us wear multiple layers, curse the version of ourselves that complained about summer heat and making our teeth chatter, the cold weather can also interfere with our water balance, according to Belsham.

She says: “Cold temperatures cause blood vessels to constrict (a process called vasoconstriction) which helps conserve heat but reduces the body’s ability to sense fluid loss.

“This shift leads to cold-induced diuresis, where the kidneys excrete more water, further depleting hydration levels. Essentially, we lose water through increased urination while also drinking........

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