Ever felt so thirsty that you wonder if it’s a sign that something is wrong? Have you ever noticed an abnormal drop in your body weight? Felt weak and lethargic?
Perhaps the cause of all these symptoms and more is dehydration! Dehydration is nothing minor to play with and if you don’t pay attention, it can even threaten your life in extreme cases. Dehydration basically occurs when you lose an excess number of water and fluids from your system and there are many things that can cause this:
- Intense Workouts
- You expel much of your body’s fluids through sweat. If fluids are not replaced by drinking water, you can become dehydrated.
- You expel much of your body’s fluids through sweat. If fluids are not replaced by drinking water, you can become dehydrated.
- High Temperature Environments
- Heat causes a rise in internal temperature and your body has no other option than to sweat to compensate for the heat, which of course expels liquids out of your system.
- Heat causes a rise in internal temperature and your body has no other option than to sweat to compensate for the heat, which of course expels liquids out of your system.
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are also conditions that may cause dehydration and you are making matters worse if you fail to drink water while nauseous.
How do you know if you are dehydrated?
Apart from obviously feeling thirsty, you may experience many different symptoms that show that you are not properly hydrated. A common symptom is memory lapses. Since our brains are made up of 90% water, they are the first organ to show signs of dehydration which will come in the form of memory lapses, headaches, and possible dizziness.
Another sign of dehydration is if you pee on an infrequent basis or if your pee has a strange color. Its actual color actually gives you a hint on the status of urine and water in your system. If it’s a pale orange or brown color instead of pale yellow, it probably means that you are dehydrated beyond normal levels!
Performance-wise, you may notice that you really struggle to make it through the gym, as our bodies need water to oxygenate the blood and if oxygen levels fall, our body’s performance and energy will simply suffer.
Take a look at your skin’s condition, as skin is the largest external organ connected to the internal circulation of liquids and nutrients. Anything we put or don’t put in our systems will have a great impact on how our skin looks. If you have noticed that your skin looks dry, rough, patchy, or less stretchy than before, dehydration might be among the top causes.
How do you keep dehydration at bay?
You can stay hydrated by ingesting a good portion of fruits, vegetables with high water content, low-calorie drinks, and plain water without any sugars and fat. Dry and processed junk food, as well as alcohol, are also a big no as they exaggerate dehydration issues and make your system expel liquids faster.
How many cups of water do you drink a day? Let us know in the comments below!