In a perfect world, we’d all remember to drink the right amount of water every single day. But let’s face it: Most people don’t include “drink water” on their to-do lists — it’s so tempting to load up on coffee during breakfast and a relaxing glass of Pinot during dinner.However, when you fail to drink enough to replenish the fluids lost, you begin to enter a state of dehydration. Being dehydrated doesn’t just make you feel thirsty — it can also have a major impact on how your entire body functions. Here’s what you should know.How much water should you drink a day?You’ve probably heard the rule of thumb that you should drink eight glasses of water a day, but it turns out that the amount of water each person should drink varies. Children and older adults tend to need more water to stay hydrated, says Dr. Seth Smith, clinical associate professor in the University of Florida Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. People who take certain medications, have a history of cardiovascular disease or have recently had a viral illness need to drink more, too. If you’re in a hot, humid climate or you’re exercising (and sweating) you’re also more susceptible to dehydration. A person who weighs about 150 pounds has about five liters of total body water, Dr. Smith says. It’s not unusual for a highly active person to lose up to two of those liters via sweat during a workout. To prevent dehydration, the fluids lost need to be replenished.The best way to do this is to listen to your body, and drink water when you feel thirsty. You should also drink water before, during and after any physical activity. In addition to getting enough water, maintaining a diet full of hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables is another way to replenish lost fluids. What are the symptoms of dehydration?When you don’t have enough water in your body, dehydration will follow. Watch out for these other signs:1. Thirst“Usually when thirst occurs, the person is about 2% dehydrated,” says Dr. Smith. That means you don’t have to sprint to the water fountain immediately, but you should grab a glass of water soon. If you don’t listen to your body’s signals, you’ll slowly become more dehydrated, especially if you’re engaging in physical activity. 2. Dry mouth Dry mouth is another way your body tells you it needs more total body water. Your body can’t make sufficient saliva if it doesn’t have enough fluids. Watch out for bad breath, too, which can be caused by dry mouth. Grab a bottle of water before a piece of gum, because the culprit is often mild dehydration. 3. Dry skin Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and just like any other organ, it needs to right amount of blood supply to function. If you notice that your skin is drier than usual, don’t just reach for a moisturizer (even though that can help, of course). It could be a sign that you don’t have enough total body water, and you should add more of it to your diet. 4. Low blood pressure More than half of the blood in the body is plasma, the liquid part of the blood. Plasma is made up of water, protein and salt. Without enough H2O in your plasma, your blood will become more concentrated, and it will be a lot more difficult for it to flow through the body to the organs that need it. 5. Muscle cramping When you’re dehydrated, your blood becomes more concentrated, and therefore your blood volume (the total volume of blood in your body) drops. So when you don’t hydrate properly, your body goes through a thought process: What parts of the body need blood the most? “The heart is going to win out over the muscles,” says Dr. Smith, and inadequate blood flow to the muscles causes those muscle cramps. 6. Fatigue Always tired? Everything from a mid-afternoon slump to overwhelming fatigue could be caused by dehydration. When you don’t have enough water in your body, your blood pressure drops, the blood flow to your brain slows, and your heart rate increases — all of which can make you feel wiped out. 7. Headaches If your brain isn’t getting enough fluids to function properly, a range of symptoms will follow. Headaches are most common, and dehydration is also a common migraine trigger. Fading in and out of consciousness, feeling lightheaded and dizzy, and fainting are some of the most extreme signs that a person needs to rehydrate immediately.How to treat dehydration The treatment for dehydration — from mild to moderate — depends on replacing the fluids your body has lost. For mild symptoms, drink water and snack on something with sodium, which Dr. Smith says helps the body retain fluids. Take small sips of water instead of big gulps, as too much water can overload your stomach and make you nauseous.If water and salty snacks aren’t enough to help you bounce back, or you’re experiencing more moderate symptoms, you should drink a sports drink with electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals in the body’s fluids, and if you’ve sweat a lot, you may need to replenish them as well as your total body water. Dr. Smith says it’s time to seek medical attention when someone is having trouble rehydrating on their own. Severe vomiting, mental status changes and fainting are sure signs that it’s time to call for help.
In a perfect world, we’d all remember to drink the right amount of water every single day. But let’s face it: Most people don’t include “drink water” on their to-do lists — it’s so tempting to load up on coffee during breakfast and a relaxing glass of Pinot during dinner.
However, when you fail to drink enough to replenish the fluids lost, you begin to enter a state of dehydration. Being dehydrated doesn’t just make you feel thirsty — it can also have a major impact on how your entire body functions. Here’s what you should know.
How much water should you drink a day?
You’ve probably heard the rule of thumb that you should drink eight glasses of water a day, but it turns out that the amount of water each person should drink varies.
Children and older adults tend to need more water to stay hydrated, says Dr. Seth Smith, clinical associate professor in the University of Florida Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. People who take certain medications, have a history of cardiovascular disease or have recently had a viral illness need to drink more, too. If you’re in a hot, humid climate or you’re exercising (and sweating) you’re also more susceptible to dehydration.
A person who weighs about 150 pounds has about five liters of total body water, Dr. Smith says. It’s not unusual for a highly active person to lose up to two of those liters via sweat during a workout. To prevent dehydration, the fluids lost need to be replenished.
The best way to do this is to listen to your body, and drink water when you feel thirsty. You should also drink water before, during and after any physical activity. In addition to getting enough water, maintaining a diet full of hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables is another way to replenish lost fluids.
What are the symptoms of dehydration?
When you don’t have enough water in your body, dehydration will follow. Watch out for these other signs:
1. Thirst
“Usually when thirst occurs, the person is about 2% dehydrated,” says Dr. Smith. That means you don’t have to sprint to the water fountain immediately, but you should grab a glass of water soon. If you don’t listen to your body’s signals, you’ll slowly become more dehydrated, especially if you’re engaging in physical activity.
2. Dry mouth
Dry mouth is another way your body tells you it needs more total body water. Your body can’t make sufficient saliva if it doesn’t have enough fluids. Watch out for bad breath, too, which can be caused by dry mouth. Grab a bottle of water before a piece of gum, because the culprit is often mild dehydration.
3. Dry skin
Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and just like any other organ, it needs to right amount of blood supply to function. If you notice that your skin is drier than usual, don’t just reach for a moisturizer (even though that can help, of course). It could be a sign that you don’t have enough total body water, and you should add more of it to your diet.
4. Low blood pressure
More than half of the blood in the body is plasma, the liquid part of the blood. Plasma is made up of water, protein and salt. Without enough H2O in your plasma, your blood will become more concentrated, and it will be a lot more difficult for it to flow through the body to the organs that need it.
5. Muscle cramping
When you’re dehydrated, your blood becomes more concentrated, and therefore your blood volume (the total volume of blood in your body) drops. So when you don’t hydrate properly, your body goes through a thought process: What parts of the body need blood the most? “The heart is going to win out over the muscles,” says Dr. Smith, and inadequate blood flow to the muscles causes those muscle cramps.
6. Fatigue
Always tired? Everything from a mid-afternoon slump to overwhelming fatigue could be caused by dehydration. When you don’t have enough water in your body, your blood pressure drops, the blood flow to your brain slows, and your heart rate increases — all of which can make you feel wiped out.
7. Headaches
If your brain isn’t getting enough fluids to function properly, a range of symptoms will follow. Headaches are most common, and dehydration is also a common migraine trigger. Fading in and out of consciousness, feeling lightheaded and dizzy, and fainting are some of the most extreme signs that a person needs to rehydrate immediately.
How to treat dehydration
The treatment for dehydration — from mild to moderate — depends on replacing the fluids your body has lost. For mild symptoms, drink water and snack on something with sodium, which Dr. Smith says helps the body retain fluids. Take small sips of water instead of big gulps, as too much water can overload your stomach and make you nauseous.
If water and salty snacks aren’t enough to help you bounce back, or you’re experiencing more moderate symptoms, you should drink a sports drink with electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals in the body’s fluids, and if you’ve sweat a lot, you may need to replenish them as well as your total body water.
Dr. Smith says it’s time to seek medical attention when someone is having trouble rehydrating on their own. Severe vomiting, mental status changes and fainting are sure signs that it’s time to call for help.
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