Do you often feel lethargic or have headaches or constipation? You may be missing one simple (but crucial) ingredient missing from your diet – water.
Water is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Our bodies crave it because we need it to stay healthy and function optimally. Not drinking enough water causes our bodies to respond, and it’s often easy to tell. Before the signs of dehydration set in, one would experience frequent thirst (which is obvious) and many other symptoms. These are red flags by your body, and you may not know about them.
We checked with the experts and got a list of seven signs your body shows when you fail to drink enough water. But first, let’s get a clear picture of how much water is enough.
How much water should I drink?
There is no one size fits all answer. The amount of water one should drink daily varies from person to person depending on the following factors:
- Environmental factors like temperature and humidity.
- Your metabolism
- Your diet
- Your age
- Your activity levels
- Your health status (whether you have a medical condition or not).
Nevertheless, scientists have established general guidelines that help healthy and average adults determine how much water they should drink. For starters, we get about 20 percent of the water we need from food moisture, and the rest, from drinking fluids. The following is the recommended daily fluid intake for an average, healthy adult according to a report by the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine:
- About 15.5 cups or 3.7 litres of fluids for males.
- About 11.5 cups or 2.7 litres of fluids for females.
The report further asserts that beverages such as coffee, tea, fruit juice, and soft drinks contribute positively to daily hydration needs. So, if you don’t like the taste of plain water, you can mix it up and stay hydrated through infused water or water-based beverages.
The following seven signs will help you notice when you are not drinking enough water.
1. You take fewer toilet breaks
Improper hydration causes your body to switch to survival mode. The kidneys retain as much fluid as possible. As a result, you will not feel the urge to take toilet breaks as frequently as you should. When you go for a short call, the urine will be darker in color and have a strong odor. You may also experience a tinge of pain or discomfort as you urinate. Your body will not flush out toxins and other waste products efficiently. It may expose you to issues like urinary tract infections and other ailments.
- You have persistent bad breath
Water is an essential component of most body fluids. One of them is saliva. Our mouths produce enough saliva to maintain moisture, check bacteria levels, and keep gums and teeth healthy. When you don’t drink enough water, the saliva reduces, resulting in a persistently dry mouth (indicated by dry lips) and higher bacteria levels. This may translate to chronic bad breath.
If you have a bad breath problem, a pack of mints will temporarily help you. Instead, increase the amount of water you drink and talk to your doctor about it.
- Your mouth is often dry, and your eyes are bloodshot
We have seen how not drinking enough water can lead to that awful feeling of a sticky and dry mouth. But it doesn’t stop with a dry mouth and chapped and cracked lips. Lack of moisture shows all over your skin and in your eyes.
The human skin constantly loses water through sweating and evaporation. When you don’t drink enough water, the skin water loss rate exceeds the replenishment. It may lead to signs like scaly skin, white flakes, red patches, and irritation. The skin also loses its elasticity, and wrinkles become more pronounced. On the other hand, your tear ducts and glands will not produce enough tears to maintain eye moisture. As a result, your eyes become drier, irritated, and red.
- You often feel fatigued and low energy
Water is essential for every single function in the body. We need it to maintain blood pressure. Thus, water is crucial for the transfer of oxygen and other nutrients to organs and muscles. When you don’t drink enough water, it slows these processes, and your metabolism slows down—and with it, so do your energy levels.
If you often feel sluggish and low in energy, despite eating well and getting a quality night’s sleep, try boosting your water intake.
- You often get constipation
Still on slowed down processes, not drinking enough water can also curtail another process – digestion and bowel movements. Water is essential in these processes because it helps moisten the intestines and keep the contents soft. When you don’t drink enough water, the body could respond by reducing the moisture levels in the intestinal content and walls. Thus, the stool becomes firmer and more difficult to pass – constipation.
If going for long calls is onerous, try boosting your water intake.
- Mental fog and headaches are frequent
The brain is sensitive to water levels in your body. Drinking enough water helps to maintain blood flow in the brain and thus keeps you mentally sharp and alert. If you are not drinking enough water, your blood pressure drops, and the brain does not receive adequate oxygen. This sequence often results in a mental fog, dizzy spells, light-headedness, and frequent headaches.
If you often feel foggy, light-headed, and frequently space out, drink some water and see if it helps.
- You experience unexplained mood swings
Not drinking enough water leads to plenty of discomfort. If you experience one or a combination of the above signs, you’ll probably be in a bad mood. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed improper hydration affects your mood and could lead to irritability.
No one likes to have bad breath, frequently feel lethargic, and get headaches, mental fog, and dizzy spells. So, drink up, and keep drinking water. It will help you maintain a good mood.
Takeaways
Water is essential for your health and well-being. If you often experience these signs, you can make drinking water a prominent part of your lifestyle. For example, you can gulp a glass during and between meals. Or you can carry a water bottle wherever you go and set a reminder to drink after every hour.
Don’t wait until these signs show. Just reach out to your water bottle, drink up, and take a break.
Give the gift of radiant skin this Christmas