The last time I donated blood, I forgot to hydrate myself.

And it took longer than usual to finish my donation.

The nurse scolded me for not drinking enough water ahead of time.

She said that I should be drinking water the day before the donation to make sure I’m hydrated.

I donated blood yesterday.

And this time, I started drinking water about 48 hours before the donation.

The donation went much faster. Drinking lots of water helps.

But I don’t only need to drink water before giving blood.

I should drink water all the time.

We can survive for weeks without food. But we can only go a few days without water.

As I was prepping for the donation, I realized that I was dehydrated.

That I’m usually dehydrated.

I’ve got to get back into the habit of drinking more water.

I need to make hydration a priority.