Dehydration does more than just make you thirsty—it can actually be
quite dangerous to your health. Here's how to know when your body is
telling you to drink more water, so that you don't let it get to the
later stages of dehydration.
What does it meant to be dehydrated?
In general, dehydration occurs when
your body loses too much fluid, or more fluid than it's taking in, according to
the US National Library of Medicine's resource
You can become dehydrated for a
number of reasons, but the main culprits include: diarrhea, vomiting, sweating
too much, urinating too much, having a fever, or (simply) not drinking enough.
And it doesn't take much to become dehydrated: if you lose just 1.5% of the
water in your body, you've reached the tipping point of dehydration.
While dehydration often shows up as
the standard thirsty feeling, the later stages of the condition can
actually lead to a loss of consciousness, Jazmine Sutton-Oliver, MD, who works
in hospital medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, tells Health. Here's what
to know about common dehydration symptoms, including feeling thirsty and
passing out—and all the signs in between.
Bad breath
Dehydration does more than just make
you thirsty—it can actually be quite dangerous to your health. Here's
how to know when your body is telling you to drink more water, so that
you don't let it get to the later stages of dehydration.
In general, dehydration occurs
when your body loses too much fluid, or more fluid than it's taking in,
according to the US National Library of Medicine's resource
You
can become dehydrated for a number of reasons, but the main culprits
include: diarrhea, vomiting, sweating too much, urinating too much,
having a fever, or (simply) not drinking enough. And it doesn't take
much to become dehydrated: if you lose just 1.5% of the water in your
body, you've reached the tipping point of dehydration.
While
dehydration often shows up as the standard thirsty feeling, the later
stages of the condition can actually lead to a loss of consciousness,
Jazmine Sutton-Oliver, MD, who works in hospital medicine at the
Cleveland Clinic, tells Health. Here's what to know about common dehydration symptoms, including feeling thirsty and passing out—and all the signs in between.
Notice your breath smelling the
opposite of minty fresh? It could be because you haven't drank enough
water lately, Marshall Young, DDS, a dentist in Newport Beach,
California, tells Health. "Saliva has important antibacterial
properties," he says. "When dehydrated, the decreased saliva in the
mouth allows bacteria to thrive, resulting in bad breath."
Also,
while we're talking about your mouth, dehydration can cause it to feel
dry, for obvious reasons. So drink up for your own sake—and for the
people around you, too.
Sugar cravings
Dehydration can mask itself as hunger, or more specifically as sugar
cravings. This is more likely to happen if you've been exercising, Amy
Goodson, RD, a sports dietitian, tells Health. "When you
exercise in a dehydrated state, you use glycogen, or stored
carbohydrates, at a faster rate, thus diminishing your stores more
quickly." So once you finish exercising, you will likely crave carbs
(aka sugar) to help you replenish those glycogen levels. Pro tip: Before
reaching for a chocolate bar, drink a tall glass of water and wait five
minutes. You might not be as hungry as you think. (After that, if
you're still craving something sweet, go ahead and have it.)
Dry Skin
Your skin will let you know if
you haven't been drinking enough water, Anne Marie Tremaine, MD, a
dermatologist at Skin Wellness Physicians in Naples and Marco Island,
Florida, tells Health. Dehydrated skin will feel tight
and appear dull when you look in the mirror. You may even notice more
exaggerated wrinkles or darker-than-usual under eye circles.
A
quick test if you're feeling less than hydrated: Pinch your cheeck; if
it wrinkles with gentle pressure instead of holding its shape, it's
begging you for water. For smooth, moisture-rich skin, Dr. Tremaine also
suggests keeping showers short (less than five minutes) and using only
lukewarm water, as hot water can dry your skin out even more.
Tiredness
That mid-afternoon slump may have more to do with dehydration than you
think. A number of the symptoms of dehydration can make you feel sleepy,
Luga Podesta, MD, a sports medicine specialist at Bluetail Medical
Group in Naples, Florida, tells Health. Physical tasks may also
feel more difficult and tiring because your muscles are lacking H2O,
which is necessary for them to function properly.
Irritability
Dehydration does more than just make
you thirsty—it can actually be quite dangerous to your health. Here's
how to know when your body is telling you to drink more water, so that
you don't let it get to the later stages of dehydration.
In general, dehydration occurs
when your body loses too much fluid, or more fluid than it's taking in,
according to the US National Library of Medicine's resource
Chills
It may seem counterintuitive, but dehydration can bring on chills. "This
occurs because your body starts to limit blood flow to the skin," Dr.
Podesta says. In addition, water holds heat, so if you become hydrated
it can be more difficult to regulate your body temperature, which can
make you get chilly faster, even when you're not in a cold environment.
Muscle cramps
When your body isn't getting enough water, it slows down blood
circulation, which can make your muscles cramp up, Ray Casciari, MD, a
pulmonologist in Orange, California, tells Health. "The body
will protect its vital organs, so it shifts fluid away from muscles and
anything that's not vital," he says. Changes in sodium and potassium
through sweat loss can also contribute to cramping. Cramps can be
extremely painful and make muscles feel harder to the touch.
Lightheaded and confusion
Along with your muscles, your brain also gets less blood circulation
when you're low on water, which can make you dizzy, Dr. Casciari
says—and this can constitute a situation when dehydration can warrant
medical attention.
When a person becomes so dehydrated that
they're taken to the emergency room, doctors usually try to get water
back into their body very quickly, Dr. Sutton-Oliver explains. "We would
give them a liter over an hour" via an IV, she says.
Headache
Dehydration can cause headaches
in a couple of different ways. "Lack of water affects your body's
serotonin levels, which can give you headaches," Dr. Casciari says. In
addition, small blood vessels in the brain respond quickly to hydration
levels (which is also the culprit behind those nasty hangover
headaches), leading to dull aches and even full-blown migraines.
Try
downing a glass or two of water the next time you have a headache and
you may find it disappears. You could also eat fruit, which contains a
lot of water, Dr. Casciari suggests.
Constipation
Your body needs water to keep things moving through your colon. When
you're not getting enough H2O, your body compensates by withdrawing more
fluid from stool, making it harder and more difficult to pass. That
said, it's worth noting that drinking more water when you're already
properly hydrated won't necessarily relieve constipation caused by other
factors, like the medications you're taking, medical conditions, or a
lack of fiber in your diet.
Dark-coloured urine
One telltale sign of dehydration is dark yellow urine. "A lot of people
will notice their urine starts to get concentrated or dark in color,"
Dr. Sutton-Oliver says. When you're dehydrated, your kidneys, which
filter waste, tell your body to retain water. That means you'll have
less water in your urine, causing it to become more concentrated with
waste products and, therefore, darker. If you notice your urine is
darker than usual, reach for your water bottle.
Excessive thirst
Dehydration does more than just make
you thirsty—it can actually be quite dangerous to your health. Here's
how to know when your body is telling you to drink more water, so that
you don't let it get to the later stages of dehydration.
In general, dehydration occurs
when your body loses too much fluid, or more fluid than it's taking in,
according to the US National Library of Medicine's resource
Low Blood Pressure
While not drinking enough water can cause a plethora of symptoms, one
in particular, low blood pressure, can be especially dangerous, Eric
Goldberg, MD, an internal medicine physician at NYU Langone tells Health.
But low blood pressure can manifest in a few different ways, including
nausea, dizziness, and blurred vision, so it's important to be aware of
those, as many of us don't have blood pressure cuffs at home.
Low
blood pressure can be especially dangerous, as it means your blood isn't
getting properly sent to critical organs, including your brain, Dr.
Goldberg adds. Certain blood pressure medications act as diuretics,
which make the body urinate fluid out of it much faster. People who take
these medications are more susceptible to becoming dehydrated, per Dr.
Goldberg. The good news? "Most people can fix that simply by drinking
water," he explains.