7 Surprising Symptoms of Dehydration
Summer is here, and one of the biggest
plights of the warmer months is dehydration. Most of us think of
dehydration as a dramatic, obvious effect, but the concept of
dehydration covers an array of stages. You might just need to drink an
extra glass of water or two, but more severe dehydration could
potentially lead to life-threatening complications.
The problem is knowing when you’re in the
early stages of dehydration. Some of the common signs could easily be
associated with other things. So as summer heats up, we gathered a few
unexpected signs and symptoms that you need to start drinking more
water, ASAP.
1. Bad breath
While less than pleasant breath by itself
doesn’t necessarily mean you’re dehydrated, it could definitely be a
sign. Dehydration prevents your body from producing sufficient amounts
of saliva, which could lead to bacterial overgrowth in the mouth.
It’s the same reason you wake up with “morning breath'': Saliva has
antibacterial properties, but its production slows down during sleep. As
a result, you wake up with an unpleasant taste in your mouth, as
bacteria grow. So if your mouth often feels parched and your breath
smells less than fresh, it may be time to rehydrate.
2. Dry or flushed skin
Many people believe that dehydration leads
to excessive sweating, but in fact, this is only one stage of
dehydration. ”As you go through various stages of dehydration, you get
very dry skin,” explained Dr. John Higgins, a professor of medicine at
the University of Texas in Houston, to Everyday Health. He also noted
that the skin may appear flushed.
Another symptom of dehydration to look out for is skin that remains
“tented” after being pinched. If the skin takes some time to return to
its normal state it means it lost some of its elasticity - a clear sign
that you need to increase the quantity of water you drink.
3. Muscle cramps
Experts think that the reason people get
muscle cramps after working out is dehydration and electrolyte
depletion. The latter occurs when the body loses a lot of fluid through
sweating. As a result, it is left without sufficient levels of sodium
and potassium. Those minerals help balance pH levels in your body and
also control nervous system function.
Bear in mind that muscle cramping for dehydration doesn't only happen to
athletes. If you’re walking around on a hot summer day and start to
feel muscle pain, it could be a sign that you’re not drinking enough
water.
4. Fever and chills
If you feel flu-like symptoms such as
dizziness and fever it could indicate moderate or serious dehydration.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke compounded by dehydration is known to
cause fever and chills. You may be sweating profusely while your skin is
cool to the touch.
The higher the fever the more dehydrated your body may become. Unless
your body temperature decreases, the skin will lose its cool and become
hot and dry to the touch. At this point, it’s important that you cool
yourself down immediately and seek medical help, according to the CDC. A
few ways to cool down are applying ice or wet cloth to your body and
moving to a cool area. Of course, these are all short-term solutions
until you can see a doctor.
5. Headaches
If you have an unyielding headache and you
aren’t sure what the source is, dehydration may be at fault. As
MedlinePlus points out, even mild dehydration can cause a headache which
can either be tolerable or intense.
Dehydration can also trigger migraine episodes, for reasons that aren’t
fully understood at the moment. Recent research suggested that
dehydration can temporarily share brain tissue, which may be the trigger
for the headache. In any case, drinking a full glass of water and
continuing to sip on more fluids during the day can ease your pain if
dehydration is indeed the culprit.
6. Craving sweets
Your liver needs sufficient amounts of
water to function properly. When you’re dehydrated, it can be difficult
for the liver to release glycogen (stored glucose) and other components
of your energy stores, which can lead to food cravings, particularly for
sweets.
It is possible for some people to crave salty snacks as well, but
craving sweets is more common because the body is experiencing
difficulty releasing glucose into the bloodstream to use as fuel.
Experts also note that if you suddenly feel hungry soon after a meal,
you probably need to drink water to help your liver function.
7. Constant fatigue
As we already established, staying hydrated
helps your body deliver key nutrients to your cells, and keep your
organs doing what they are supposed to. So naturally, hydration is
crucial to maintain your energy throughout the day. Not getting enough
water can make you feel constantly tired and as if you’re ‘dragging’.
Moreover, hydration can have a direct impact on sleep quality, according
to the Sleep Foundation. Of course, overdoing it isn't recommended
either. Excess hydration can cause you to wake up at night to go to the
bathroom, which can also lead to fatigue.
Am I dehydrated or is it something else?
All the symptoms we listed could indicate dehydration but could also be
applied to other health conditions. So how can you tell if it’s
dehydration or something else? Thirst isn’t a reliable indicator because
by the time you feel thirsty you are already mildly dehydrated,
according to Mayo Clinic. On the other hand, lack of thirst doesn’t
necessarily mean you’re well hydrated. Here are two other ways to check
whether your body is dehydrated:
The skin test. Use two fingers to pinch some skin on the back of
your hand, and then let it go. If it doesn’t spring back to its normal
position in a couple of seconds, you’re probably dehydrated.
Check your urine. This is probably the most well-known dehydration
indicator. If you’re well-hydrated, your urine should be mostly clear.
The darker it is, the more dehydrated you are.