When it comes to water, there are two types of people in the world: the type that carry a water bottle with them everywhere they go, and the type that maybe drink two glasses a day. So many of us struggle to get the daily recommendation for water intake each day. Even worse, some of us that do still aren’t drinking enough. Drinking enough water is vital to health, happiness, and weight loss.
It’s important to pay attention to your body, so keep an eye out for these common symptoms of dehydration.
Dry Mouth and Lips
Do you constantly have chapped lips? Drink more water! Is your mouth dry? Again, drink more water! This same applies if your skin is feeling especially dry.
Headache and/or Lightheadedness
Before you reach for the painkillers… drink a glass of water. Just like the rest of your body, your brain needs water to function. When you don’t give it enough water, it hurts.
Fatigue
If you are tired, all the time, it may not be because of a lack of sleep or immune problem, you might just be dehydrated. That lack of water going to the brain that causes headaches, that causes fatigue as well. Sometimes a large glass of water is all you need for an energy boost.
Hungry
Often time’s thirst is misconstrued for hunger. So, anytime you feel hungry and want to reach for a snack, drink a glass of water first. Even if it turns out your body does need food, the extra glass of water is still good for you.
Food Cravings
If you are craving a juicy piece of fruit or something cold, this could be a sign that you are dehydrated. Like I just said, often times we feel hungry when we are actually thirsty. Specifically craving something that contains a lot of water is likely a sign that your body is dehydrated.
Muscle Cramps
Have you ever gone for a jog and then had a sudden, intense, cramp in your side. Well, either your appendix suddenly burst or you are dehydrated. The later is most likely. Muscle cramps like this are the result of dehydration. Just as your brain needs water to keep from feeling pain, so do your muscles.
Extreme Thirst
Obvious, I know, but if you are really thirsty it means you are 100% dehydrated. Your body should never get to the point of extreme thirst. If it does, it means you really need to increase your water intake or you could find yourself sick from severe dehydration.
Your Digestion Sucks
Bloating and constipation are cause by many different things, but one of the easiest solutions may be not drinking enough water. If you are already slightly dehydrated and then eat a sodium-heavy meal, you will bloat up. There needs to be a balance of water with that sodium or your digestion gets out of whack.
Dark Urine and/or Infrequent
Many of us know this one… If your urine is coming out anything but clear, you are dehydrated. The darker the shade, the more severe the dehydration. Also, if you aren’t using the bathroom frequently (for either reason) you are likely dehydrated. As I said before, constipation is caused by a lack of water in the system. Infrequent urination is also, a very obvious, result of dehydration. If you only pee once or twice a day, you are not drinking enough H2O.
You’re Not Sweating
This also may seem obvious. If you are not sweating during your workouts, you probably are not drinking enough. Water comes out in the form of sweat, so if nothing is coming out, not enough must be going in.