Water is essential for maintaining a healthy body. We’ve all heard it before: Drink more water! Do you know why? You may experience side effects such as nausea and vomiting if you don’t get enough water. A woman’s average body contains 55% water and a male’s 60%. This is a clear indicator of how vital water intake is to us. Our bodies lose water every day just from being alive. Water is lost through sweating and urine. This is why it is important to replenish your body with water.
Recent studies have shown that you can live for three weeks with no food, while you can only survive three to four days without drinking water. This could lead to dehydration and, I hate to say it but, death. While the daily recommendations will vary from one study to another, we generally recommend at least 10 glasses per day. This will not only help us survive, but it will also help our bodies stay hydrated and give us the energy we need to tackle our daily tasks. We’ve compiled 15 indicators that you aren’t getting enough water. We are not doctors, so if you feel uneasy about any symptoms, make sure to consult your doctor immediately. Let’s get a glass of water and take a sip.
1) Dry Mouth, Eyes, and Skin
These are the most obvious signs that you need to drink more water, but they are equally important. Sometimes a cup of coffee can turn into three, four or five cups depending on the day. However, if you don’t drink enough water with your coffee, it can dehydrate. Your mouth becoming dry may be an indication that you need more water.
2) Headaches
Our bodies are 80% water. Dehydration can lead to water loss around brain tissue. This can lead to brain shrinkage and then pain around the brain. Also known as your headache.
3) Dark Urine Color
Your urine colour is a good indicator of how much water you’re drinking. It is a good rule of thumb to remember that the darker your urine colour, the more hydrated and vice versa.
4) Low energy
Low energy levels can hinder productivity. Low energy levels can make it difficult to be productive. This is partly because we feel tired and lethargic when low on energy. Maybe your children kept your up at night, or you watched too much Netflix. This could be causing your fatigue. Perhaps your low energy may be due to dehydration.
5) Disorientation
It’s hard to ignore the disorientation feeling that can ruin your day. The symptoms of feeling disoriented include confusion, loss of concentration, and dizziness. These are just a few examples of the damage that a water deficiency can cause to your body and mind. Our bodies lose water through sweating, urinating and other bodily functions.
6) Frequent Muscle Cramps
Many fluids can be lost from sweating, especially after a hard workout. Your body can only hold so much water before you need to replenish it with water. Our bodies can delegate water to where they need it if we aren’t getting enough water. Our circulatory system is far more important than our muscles, so that it will be given priority.
7) Always hungry
Did you know that hunger can be caused by dehydration? We know that dehydration can lead to disorientation, confusing the brain. This can cause your brain to think you are hungry, but you want a tall glass of water.
8) Joint pain
Joint pain can cause discomfort and even restrict mobility. Cartilage lines and cushions the joints. Did you know that cartilage can be made up of 70 to 80 per cent water? Staying hydrated is crucial.
9) A decrease in muscle mass
We all know that protein intake is key to increasing muscle mass. This is important, but even more important is the need to monitor our water intake if we desire to see muscle growth.
10) Bad breath
Bad breath may not be caused by a stick or a piece of mint. A lack of water can cause chronic bad breath.
Dry mouth, also known as Xerostomia, is caused by a lack of saliva production. This can be caused either by smoking or by medical conditions, but it can also be caused by dehydration.
11) Digestive Issues
We just learned that a lack of hydration could affect not only your mouth but also your digestive system. The strength and quantity of the mucus in our stomachs can decrease due to dehydration. Stomach acid can cause serious damage to our stomachs if there is less mucus. This can lead to heartburn or indigestion.
12) Memory and Concentration Problems
Lack of water can cause disorientation and impair concentration as well as memory. This is also true for your brain. A lack of water can cause a decrease in blood flow. This can cause your brain to lose the necessary oxygen and nutrients to function well. Research shows that even a mere two per cent body mass loss can cause cognitive problems and mood swings.
13) Irritation and mood swings
Are you prone to snapping at people over little things? It could be that you aren’t getting enough water. The need for water can cause us to become easily irritated, just like hunger. It’s easy to see why a lack of water could lead to mood swings, given all the adverse effects it can have on your body. Studies have shown that even being mildly dehydrated can affect our moods and emotions.
14) Food cravings
Ask yourself how long ago you haven’t had water since boredom or binging. Like all organs of your body, your liver needs water to function properly. The liver needs water to digest fat cells and store energy to power our bodies. It also maintains a balanced level of blood glucose.
15) It isn’t easy to lose weight.
Everyone who wants to lose weight should drink water every day. Hydration can affect everything, from your energy level to digestion to your desire for unhealthy foods. These factors can make it difficult to achieve your weight loss goals.
