Without water, there is no life. It is vital to every living being on the planet, and the proper intake is crucial for body functions to operate as intended.
While water is imperative for flushing the body of toxins and rehydrating, it’s most important role is as a reactant, meaning without it to trigger reactions, many processes within the body would cease to function.
Your body tells you when something is amiss through both internal and external signals. But, if you don’t understand what they mean, here are 8 signs that you may not be drinking enough water.
1. Urination Frequency
The average healthy person should urinate 6-7 times a day, though this number varies dependent on liquid intake. If you’re urinating as little as 2-3 times a day, consider drinking more water. Your body is telling you that you do not get enough. Not drinking enough water has serious repercussions on the function of your kidneys, and can lead to severe complications as it helps to remove impurities from your body.
2. Dry skin
Keep your skin hydrated! Having a healthy skin complexion means drinking lots of water. This prevents dryness and feels amazing. Drinking a glass of water every hour will help maintain your optimal hydration level and improve your complexion dramatically.
3. Headaches
Dehydration is one of the main causes of headache and can occur at the front, back, side or all over the head. Identified most easily by the way that movement seems to aggravate them and make the pain worse.
4. Dry mouth
Dry mouth is often caused by general dehydration. The lack of saliva results in having a dry mouth, and puts you at a higher risk of experiencing severe damages in your oral cavity and throat. If you have chronic dry mouth, be sure to always keep a bottle of water nearby.
5. Color of the urine
Perhaps the most common sign of dehydration is a color change in your urine, often indicating severe lack of water. If you are well hydrated, your urine should be lightly colored. If your urine is brown, you are dealing with severe dehydration. In this case, drink more water than usual, though be careful not to consume too much in a small window of time as this can also cause problems.
By consistently drink water slowly and carefully, you will ensure that your body is efficiently able to distribute it to the required organs.
6. Hunger
If you find that you are experiencing feelings of hunger even after already eaten, this may also be a sign of dehydration. Never confuse hunger with thirst. If you feel hungry (even after eating), drink a glass of water. It is likely that the hunger you’re feeling is due to your body confusing the signals.
Next time you feel like snacking right after a meal, drink a glass of water instead. If you feel content, it’s because there was never hunger at all, and your body was asking for water.
7. Dizziness
Drink a glass of water whenever you feel dizzy as this is one of the most common signs of dehydration.
8. Symptoms of chronic dehydration
Most symptoms of chronic dehydration are commonly overlooked, and often times, the condition isn’t recognized until it’s in an advanced state.
The most common symptoms of chronic dehydration are:
- Urinary tract infections
- Premature aging
- Confusion / Anxiety
- Increased cholesterol levels
- Constipation/ Heartburn
With summer right around the corner, reported cases of dehydration will spike immensely.
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