Hydration is so essential to our body. Our body needs water to carry out its functions. Dehydration is when you lose more water than you consume, the body doesn’t have enough water to perform bodily functions, and it starts showing its symptoms. In dehydration, the body is not only in shortage of water but also in lack of electrolytes like salt and potassium as it loses them in the form of water. These electrolytes play a vital role in maintaining blood pressure and blood sugar normal.

If you are sweating too much, urinating frequently, suffering from diarrhea, or have an illness, in these cases it’s important to watch out for the amount of water you are consuming because they all lead to dehydration of the body.

Thirst is the most common sign of dehydration but is not the only sign, there are other signs as well which are not so common. According to a study, the body becomes worse at detecting markers of dehydration – such as high levels of salt in the blood – and without these signals, older adults may not realize that they are dehydrated. Untreated dehydration can cause the heart rate to increase, leading to a strain on your heart.

Dry and flaky skin - Dehydration may also cause dry and flaky skin. Nutrition, weather, and lifestyle choices like excess consumption of alcohol and coffee can diminish skin quality. The second skin-related symptom of dehydration is that it loses its bouncy nature, it will remain tented after being pinched and takes time to return to normal.

Bad breath - Saliva has antibacterial properties and inadequate hydration disables it to make enough saliva. Not having enough saliva leads to bacterial overgrowth in the mouth which further causes bad breath. The formation of the saliva process slows down at night; thus, people wake up with bad breath due to bacterial overgrowth in the mouth. 

Muscle cramps – Muscle cramps become very common in hot weather due to heat’s effect on muscles. Inadequate hydration and lack of essential electrolytes could also lead to muscle cramps. Rehydrating the body with electrolyte water after intense exercise or work out prevents the risk of muscle cramp. We need to drink adequate fluid even in cooler weather also.

Craving for sweets – When our body is having a shortage of water, organs like the liver find it difficult to release glycogen which is stored glucose, a source of energy. Thus, we end up eating sweets or energy bars for instant energy while we require to drink water and rehydrate ourselves.

(Disclaimer: The content on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be taken as professional medical advice.  Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other health professionals for any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.)