How to Hydrate the Body During a Fever?

November 15, 2025 •

4 min read

When you have a fever, your body's temperature rises, which significantly increases fluid loss through sweating. Knowing how to hydrate the body during a fever is crucial for recovery, as dehydration can worsen symptoms and lead to serious complications. This article provides practical, expert-backed advice to ensure you stay properly hydrated while ill.

Quick Summary

This guide explains the best fluids to consume, signs of dehydration, and strategies for maintaining optimal fluid intake during a fever to support the body's natural healing process.

Key Points

Prioritize Electrolyte-Rich Fluids: When fighting a fever, sweat loss includes both water and essential electrolytes, making drinks like oral rehydration solutions, broths, and diluted juices more effective than plain water alone.
Offer Small, Frequent Sips: Encourage consistent, small sips of fluid, especially if nausea or vomiting is present, to prevent overwhelming the stomach and aid absorption.
Recognize Signs of Dehydration: Pay attention to symptoms such as dark urine, dry mouth, dizziness, and sunken eyes, as these are clear indicators that more fluids are needed.
Incorporated Hydrating Foods: Supplement liquid intake with high-water content foods like soups, fruits, and gelatin, which can be easier to tolerate during illness.
Know When to Seek Help: Consult a doctor if signs of severe dehydration, such as confusion, persistent high fever, or an inability to keep fluids down, become apparent.

Why Hydration is Crucial During a Fever

When your body is fighting an infection, its temperature increases, a process that naturally increases water loss through sweat. This elevated fluid loss, coupled with a potentially reduced appetite and thirst, puts you at a high risk of dehydration. Dehydration can interfere with your body's temperature regulation, making the fever feel worse and last longer. Additionally, sufficient fluid intake is essential for transporting immune cells and flushing out toxins, helping your body fight the underlying illness more effectively.

The Best Fluids for Rehydration

To combat fluid loss, it's vital to drink more than just plain water, especially if experiencing vomiting or diarrhea. Electrolytes, like sodium and potassium, are essential minerals lost through sweat and other bodily fluids.

Water: The most fundamental fluid for rehydration. While plain water is essential, it does not replenish lost electrolytes, so it should be combined with other options.
Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS): These are specifically formulated with a precise balance of salts and sugars to maximize absorption. Popular brands include Pedialyte, which is available in liquid and popsicle form. For infants under one year, consult a pediatrician before using.
Broths and Soups: These savory options are not only comforting but also provide both fluid and sodium, helping to replenish electrolytes. Chicken or vegetable broth is easy on the stomach.
Diluted Juices and Sports Drinks: For older children and adults, diluted apple juice or sports drinks can provide some sugar and electrolytes. However, high sugar content in undiluted versions can worsen stomach issues like diarrhea, so moderation is key.
Herbal Tea (Decaffeinated): Warm liquids like chamomile or ginger tea can be soothing for a sore throat and help with congestion from a co-existing cold. Just be sure they are decaffeinated to avoid diuretic effects.
Coconut Water: A natural source of potassium and other electrolytes, though it may not contain enough sodium for significant losses.

How to Encourage Fluid Intake

When you or a loved one has a fever, a lack of appetite or a general feeling of malaise can make drinking difficult. Try these tips to help increase fluid intake:

Offer Small, Frequent Sips: Instead of large amounts at once, which can trigger nausea, provide small, frequent sips of fluid throughout the day. This is especially effective for children.
Make it Appealing: For children, flavored oral rehydration solutions or electrolyte popsicles can be more enticing than plain water. Adding a slice of lemon or a few berries to water can also improve taste.
Incorporate Hydrating Foods: If solid foods are tolerated, include those with high water content, such as soups, melon, grapes, oranges, and gelatin.
Create a Routine: Keep a water bottle or glass within easy reach at all times. Set alarms or reminders to encourage regular sips, rather than waiting until thirst sets in, as this is already a sign of dehydration.

Comparison Table: Rehydration Options


Rehydration Option	Pros	Cons	Best For
Plain Water	Readily available, zero calories/sugar.	Lacks electrolytes; not sufficient for significant fluid loss.	Mild hydration needs, general fluid maintenance.
Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS)	Optimized balance of salts, sugars, and water for absorption.	Can be expensive; taste may not be palatable to all.	Moderate to severe dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea.
Clear Broths	Provides sodium, comforting, gentle on stomach.	May lack potassium and other electrolytes.	Sickness with decreased appetite, sore throat.
Coconut Water	Natural source of potassium and magnesium.	Often low in sodium; taste can be polarizing.	Mild hydration, potassium replenishment.
Herbal Tea	Soothing, aids with congestion, can be calming.	No electrolytes; must be decaffeinated.	Comfort, mild hydration, throat relief.
Diluted Fruit Juice/Sports Drinks	Provides sugar for energy and some electrolytes.	High sugar content can worsen diarrhea if not diluted.	Older children and adults tolerating some sugar.

When to Seek Medical Attention

While most cases of fever and mild dehydration can be managed at home, it's crucial to know when to seek professional medical help. Look for signs of severe dehydration or other concerning symptoms.

Persistent high fever (over 103°F in adults, or concerning temperature in infants/children).
Extreme thirst, dry tongue, and lips.
Infrequent urination or dark-colored urine (fewer than 3-4 times per day in adults, fewer wet diapers in infants).
Reduced skin turgor, where pinched skin is slow to return to normal.
Sunken eyes or a sunken fontanelle (soft spot) in infants.
Confusion, delirium, or extreme fatigue.
Dizziness or lightheadedness, especially when standing.
Inability to keep fluids down due to persistent vomiting.

Conclusion

Maintaining proper hydration is a cornerstone of recovery during a fever. By consistently consuming a variety of fluids, including water, electrolyte solutions, and broths, you can prevent dehydration, manage your symptoms, and support your body's immune response. Monitoring your fluid intake and recognizing the signs of worsening dehydration are key to a quick and safe recovery. Remember to prioritize small, frequent sips, especially when appetite is low. If symptoms of severe dehydration arise, do not hesitate to contact a healthcare professional for guidance and treatment.

For more detailed health information on hydration and illness, you can consult resources like the Mayo Clinic's guidance on fever and dehydration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Staying hydrated is crucial during a fever because increased body temperature causes the body to lose fluids more rapidly through sweating. This can lead to dehydration, which can worsen fever symptoms and make recovery slower.

The best fluids are those that replenish both water and lost electrolytes. These include oral rehydration solutions (like Pedialyte), clear broths, and diluted fruit juices. Plain water is also important but should be supplemented with other options, especially if you're sweating heavily.

Yes, dehydration can make a fever worse. The body uses fluid to regulate its temperature, so a lack of hydration can interfere with this process, potentially increasing your body temperature and exacerbating fever symptoms.

To check a child's hydration status, look for key signs: they should have consistently wet diapers or urinate regularly, cry with tears, and have a moist mouth and lips. A sunken soft spot (fontanelle) on a baby's head is a sign of serious dehydration.

Avoid drinks with high amounts of caffeine, such as coffee and soda, as they can act as diuretics and increase fluid loss. High-sugar drinks and alcohol should also be avoided, as they can worsen dehydration and upset the stomach.

During a fever, especially with significant sweating or vomiting, electrolyte drinks are often better than water alone. They replace the essential minerals lost from the body, helping to restore fluid balance more effectively.

You should contact a doctor if you or a loved one shows signs of severe dehydration, such as confusion, dizziness that doesn't go away, reduced skin elasticity, a high-grade fever that won't break, or an inability to keep any fluids down.