According to various studies, approximately 80% of us are walking around at least partially dehydrated most of the time. This is especially true of children who are very active and do not really like to drink water, and of the elderly who often do not realise that they are thirsty or need to drink water.
Not drinking sufficient water on a regular basis is bad for our health because the body needs the around 70% water in the body to remain at that level. Not drinking water regularly leads to dehydration which can lead to some really hectic health problems from simple headaches to caner, coma and even death.
10 Signs You Are Not Drinking Enough Water
If you are one of those who walk around at least partially dehydrated some or most of the time because you are too busy or just don’t think about drinking water because you are not partial to the taste or smell, here are some signs to look out for:
- Dry Mouth
This is the most obvious sign you need to drink water, but by the time you feel this way you are already around 2% dehydrated. Carbonated drinks are only a temporary solution; drinking water will lubricate the mucus membranes in your mouth and throat allowing you to produce saliva for much longer.
- Dry Skin
The skin is your body’s largest organ, and dry skin is one of the earliest signs of real dehydration. A water shortage in your body means that you cannot sweat, which means that your body cannot cool itself off and is also unable to wash away excess dirt and oil accumulated throughout the day.
- Dry Eyes
Too little water means that there will be a lack of eye-fluid, which will lead to dry, bloodshot eyes, dried up tear ducts, and irritation of the eyes. It also means that should you get a foreign object in your eye for some reason it cannot be washed out and could cause damage to your eye.
- Joint Pain
The human cartilage and spinal discs consist of around 80% water, which cushions our bones and joints from damage from knocks and keeps them from grinding against each other.
- Decreased Muscle-Mass
Your muscles are 79% water, and less water in the body means that there is less muscle mass. If you are exercising yet your muscle-mass is decreasing, drink more water.
- Staying Sick for Longer
Drinking water helps to continuously flush out toxins, which the body cannot do when dehydrated, which could mean that you will stay ill for longer. When the body senses a water shortage it will pull water from stored areas like your blood, which leads to a whole new set of problems.
- Digestive Problems
Digestive problems are a sign that you are dehydrated as dehydration causes the amount and strength of mucus in the stomach to become less, which can lead to the stomach acid damaging the lining of your stomach and causing heartburn and indigestion.
- Premature Aging
Our bodies retain less water as we age, so we should consciously increase our water intake. Prematurely dry, wrinkled skin, hair loss, bad eye sight and other signs of aging such as creaky joints can indicate dehydration.
- Constipation
Drinking water helps lubricate the digestive system and keeps the colon lubricated so that waste-matter can easily pass through.
- Fatigue and Lethargy
When you are dehydrated the body “borrows†water from your blood and a lack of properly hydrated blood means that oxygen cannot get to every part of your body, which will lead to that lunchtime crash and utter fatigue.
Rent water coolers in London from Living-Water. Get a free water cooler trial or water needs assessment.
