Water is a large part of human survival, and it is necessary for a healthy routine to be adequately hydrated. Many people think that they need eight cups of water daily, but a healthy adult should drink somewhere between 11-16 cups of water, depending on their size, activity level, and gender. 3 in 4 Americans are chronically dehydrated, and the longer your body is dehydrated, the more dangerous it can be. Extended periods of dehydration can lead to adverse health conditions. Easy ways to tell if you are dehydrated include:
Nausea or Dizziness
Dehydration can cause a dramatic drop in blood pressure. This can lead a person to feel nauseous or dizzy. An extended period of lowered blood pressure can cause fainting. Dehydration is often accompanied by mild physical symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. These are all among the most common side effects of dehydration. Unfortunately, dizziness can lead to vomiting. Vomiting causes the body to expel more liquid and further dehydrate the dehydrated person. When dehydration is mild, sipping some water should alleviate the slight headache. Be sure to keep your fluid intake up to standard for the rest of the day to avoid further dehydration symptoms.
Dry Mouth
Our salivary gland uses water to produce saliva, so when we are dehydrated, it can be common to experience a dry mouth. No fluids = no saliva. If you have a chronically dry mouth, it can lead to health conditions such as tooth decay and bad breath. Ensure you drink enough water to produce the proper amount of saliva and avoid future dental complications. Some people may suffer from dry mouth if they are chronically anxious.
Tiredness or Sluggish (Brain Fog)
Hydration is necessary to keep our body properly functioning. Some days you may notice yourself feeling sluggish and experiencing a lot of mental fog despite sleeping eight hours the night before. If you are also dehydrated, this sluggishness is likely an effect. Dehydration has been known to cause a decrease in cognitive function and is often accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue and lethargy. If you ever feel tired despite proper sleep, exercise and nutrition, you may be dehydrated. This sluggishness stems from the decreased heart rate of individuals who suffer from dehydration.
Darker Urine
One of the simplest ways to spot whether you are dehydrated or not is from your urine color. Someone who is healthy and properly hydrated should see urine that ranges from colorless to light yellow. Dark yellow urine is fine occasionally but should be addressed if chronic. The reason pee is yellow is due to the presence of a chemical compound known as urobilin. Urobilin has naturally yellow pigments that are naturally diluted by the water that we consume. If your pee is darker, it means there is not enough water in your system. To avoid darker urine, be sure to keep yourself adequately hydrated on days where you work out more or hotter days. If your pee starts to approach a more caramel color, it is advisable to seek medical help.
Thirst
The easiest way to determine if you are dehydrated is if you’re thirsty, but it is a bad gauge of how dehydrated you are. Thirst only happens after a long period of dehydration because it is triggered when you lose more than 1% of water in your body. Thirst can often be accompanied by the physical symptoms mentioned above. Water is necessary to keep our body at optimal function, so it is important to refrain from being dehydrated. To be adequately hydrated, you never really want to feel “thirsty.”
Tips to Prevent Dehydration
There are many ways to prevent dehydration. One of the best ways to do it is by making freshwater easy to access. You can install an under sink reverse osmosis filter on all your faucets so that you can have clean water no matter what room you’re in. Keeping a water bottle by your side is also a great way to ensure you are hydrated throughout the day.
If you are not fond of the flavor of water, you can opt to flavor your water. There are many great ways to flavor plain water, including immersing real fruit in it, splashing some juice or water flavoring in the drink. If you want to supplement your diet with liquids, consider drinking more clear broths or having ice pops. A great way to increase water intake without drinking more water is by eating water-rich foods such as watermelon and tomatoes.
Be sure to watch out for signs of dehydration in order to stay healthy.