How Hydration Tech is Changing the Game
Mention the idea of ‘hydration’ at the time of the 2026 World Cup and the most immediate response that you will get is about the idiocy of the ‘hydration breaks’ that have been introduced for the tournament.
Whilst everyone would be quick to say that it’s really important that athletes get a good amount of water and other refreshing liquids into their bodies, the reality of the matter is that they have almost certainly been introduced for cynical reasons.
Yes, the United States of America, Canada and Mexico are hot countries, but the stadiums are air-conditioned. What it has done, though, is bring the topic of hydration front and centre.
Hydration-Focused Gadgets
Given the ever-increasing heatwaves that have hit the United Kingdom and the rest of the world as the climate crisis worsens, it is not all that surprising that the National Health Service has launched campaigns to ensure that people keep themselves hydrated. What a lot of people might not realise is that there are now gadgets that can let you know how hydrated you actually are.
It is a major issue for a lot of people, with a study in 2023 suggesting that as many as one in four people over the age of 65 don’t get enough fluids. Not that younger people are entirely innocent, with a 2018 study finding that 70% of workers were dehydrated.
@katemakescontent.ugc 10/10 would recommend being bullied into hydration 💦 👍🏻 #smartwaterbottle #hydration #drinkmorewater #healthyhabits #lifehackproducts ♬ original sound – Kate | UK UGC Creator
The hope of those that are in the process of trying to get hydration tech to take off is that it will do so in a similar manner to how people became obsessed with hitting their step goal with gadgets like the Fitbit and Apple Watch.
Sweat-analysing devices can be used in order to track the flow of sweat, with things such as the salt content, the skin temperature and other metrics able to paint a picture about the user’s hydration levels. In the words of the Chief Executive of Epicure Biosystems, Roozbeh Ghaffari, that will allow for ‘real-time sweat data’ that can help to provide a risk profile based on people’s ‘sweat score’.
Reminding You to Drink
The hydration devices that are out there analysing the likes of your sweat can also be programmed to remind you to take a drink when needed. They can buzz when you need to be prodded to take a swig of fluid on a regular basis, for example. Some of the devices are best for longer periods of specific exercise, rather than intermittent use, but the very fact that they’re on the market helps to draw attention to an important issue.
Not everyone will be happy wearing a sweat patch, but that doesn’t mean that their options are then closed. There is a urine-analysing gadget on the market that can also identify the need for more hydration.
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Vivoo makes one that sits on the rim of the toilet, using optical sensors in order to work out what your ‘urine specific gravity’ is, which measures density in comparison to water. Generally speaking, the denser your urine is when compared to water, the more dehydrated a person is. Such gadgets are also not all that useful if you’re someone with several toilets in your home, for example, or who works in an office where it would be all but impossible for you to put such a device.
Still, if it gets you thinking about your levels of hydration in a world that is only getting hotter, that might at least prompt you to drink more than you might do otherwise.