Padel Hydration: What to Drink Before, During and After a Match

For a typical padel match, start well hydrated, sip water steadily during play, and replace both fluid and sodium afterwards. In the warm, humid conditions common across the UAE, sweat losses can be significant even in an evening game, so an electrolyte drink with sodium and potassium is often more useful than plain water alone, especially for sessions longer than an hour.

Why padel is harder on hydration than it looks

Padel feels social and short, so it is easy to underestimate. In reality it is a stop-start sport with lots of quick lateral movement, played on enclosed courts where air can feel still and heavy. Evening courts in October are cooler than in summer, but humidity can still be high, and humid air makes it harder for sweat to evaporate and cool you down. You keep sweating, and you keep losing water and salt.

Sweat rates vary a lot between people. Two players in the same match can lose very different amounts of fluid and sodium. If you finish with white salt marks on your shirt or cap, you are probably on the salty end.

Before the match

• Arrive hydrated, not overloaded. Drink normally through the day. A glass or two of water in the two to four hours before play is enough for most people; downing a litre on the drive over just sends you to the bathroom between sets.
• Check your urine colour. Pale straw is the target. Dark yellow means you are starting behind.
• Eat something light. Food contains water and salt too. A meal two to three hours before, or a small snack an hour before, is easier than playing on an empty stomach.

During the match

• Sip at change of ends. Small, regular amounts are better than big gulps at the end.
• Drink to thirst, but do not ignore it. Thirst is a reasonable guide for most recreational players; just make sure you actually have a bottle courtside.
• Consider electrolytes for longer or hotter sessions. For games running past an hour, back-to-back matches, or daytime play, adding sodium and potassium helps your body hold on to the fluid you drink.

After the match

This is where most players fall short. Rehydration means replacing what you lost over the next few hours, not just the next ten minutes.

• Keep drinking for a few hours, not just one bottle.
• Include sodium. Fluid with some salt, whether from an electrolyte drink or a salted meal, is retained better than plain water.
• Eat a proper meal with carbohydrate and protein to recover for your next session.

If you get muscle cramps during long games, read why cramping is not just about water.

Sports drink, coconut water or electrolyte mix?

Many sports drinks provide electrolytes but also a lot of sugar, which you may not want if you are playing a friendly match after work. Coconut water is naturally rich in potassium but relatively low in sodium, the main mineral lost in sweat. We looked at this in detail in Your Hydration Drink Might Be Flooding Your Body With Sugar.

Where GoodHydrate fits

GoodHydrate is a zero-added-sugar electrolyte mix made with Himalayan pink salt and six electrolytes, plus vitamins C and B12 and inulin. According to its nutrition panel, one 3.6g sachet provides approximately 183mg of sodium, 198mg of potassium, and 29mg of magnesium, with 0g of sugar. That makes it easy to keep in your padel bag and add to a bottle of water at the start of a long session or after you come off court.

Choose Watermelon, Lemon Mint, or the Mix Pack if you like to switch flavours. Use it as directed on the pack, and remember that it complements water and food rather than replacing them.

Warning signs to stop and cool down

Dizziness, confusion, nausea, a pounding headache, or stopping sweating in the heat are not signs to push through. Stop, get into shade or air conditioning, and drink. Seek medical help if symptoms do not improve quickly. People with heart or kidney conditions, or on medication that affects fluid or salt balance, should ask their doctor about electrolyte intake.

One change to try this week

Weigh yourself before and after one match, in the same clothes. Each kilogram lost is roughly a litre of fluid. That one number tells you more about your personal hydration needs than any general rule.

Frequently asked questions

How much water should I drink during a padel match?

Most recreational players do well sipping at each change of ends and drinking to thirst. Needs vary by sweat rate, so weighing yourself before and after a match gives a personal guide: about a litre per kilogram lost.

Do I need electrolytes for padel?

For short, cool sessions water is usually enough. For matches longer than an hour, back-to-back games, or hot and humid conditions, adding sodium and potassium helps your body retain fluid.

Is coconut water good for padel players?

Coconut water is rich in potassium but low in sodium, the main mineral lost in sweat. It can be part of recovery, but it is not a complete electrolyte replacement on its own.

What is in a GoodHydrate sachet?

According to its nutrition panel, one 3.6g sachet provides approximately 183mg sodium, 198mg potassium and 29mg magnesium, with vitamins C and B12, inulin, and 0g sugar.

What are signs of heat exhaustion on court?

Dizziness, nausea, headache, confusion, or unusual fatigue. Stop playing, cool down in the shade, drink fluids, and seek medical help if symptoms do not improve.