Dehydration: Headache to Weight Gain, 7 Signs to Increase Fluid Intake Right Away

Our body has different indications that suggest when something is wrong with our daily bodily functions. And these telltale signs of dehydration shouldn’t be ignored.

More than 60 percent of our body is made up of water. and we tend to lose a lot of fluid through sweat and urine. When there is a loss of something so fundamental to daily functioning, there is an equally important need to replenish the body with lost water. When the body is low on hydration, it starts giving telltale signs. But when these too are ignored, dehydration can also lead to health complications.

So when we’re low on water, we’re also low on electrolytes, sodium, potassium, and a few other bodily nutrients. According to the Mayo Clinic, “The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a smaller volume of water in their bodies and may have conditions or take medications that increase their risk of dehydration. This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections that affect the lungs or bladder, can lead to dehydration in older adults.”

Dehydration occurs when the amount of water that leaves the body is greater than the amount that is taken in. Being dehydrated doesn’t just mean your body is losing water, it also means it’s losing electrolytes, like sodium and potassium.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEHYDRATION

1. Dizziness: Dehydration often leads to feelings of nausea and dizziness. According to a Healthline report, people who are dehydrated often have reduced blood pressure or lower blood volume. When this happens, blood may not reach the brain as it should. This can cause feelings of dizziness or vertigo.
2. Headaches: Reduced fluid intake can cause muscles to stretch and lead to headaches.
3. Weight gain: This is a sign that is often ignored in terms of dehydration. But, dehydration creates a low level of important nutrients and we can feel more hungry. And when one eats sugary spicy foods to curb that never-ending hunger pang, that’s when it leads to weight gain.
4. Dry Skin: This is one of the most easily identifiable signs of dehydration.
5. Fatigue: One may tend to feel more worn out than usual and more easily. Short sleep cycles are often linked to dehydration.
6. Anxiety and mood swings: According to several studies, dehydration affects our mood and anxiety. While more research is still required on this front, so far reduced amino acid levels may lead to this.
7. Intestinal disruptions and cramps: It is mainly recommended to increase water intake when we have muscle cramps. Dehydration stretched the muscles, which can lead to cramps.

Well, staying hydrated is one of the easiest ways to be kind to your body and keep your entire system working as it should.