Do You Have These Common Symptoms of Dehydration?

You already know you should be drinking 7-8 glasses of water each day.

But as the temperature begins to dip, some of us start slacking.

It’s not so hot, so we’re simply not as thirsty as we were during the dog days of summer.

And, we start skipping a glass here and a glass there.

But despite the cooler temps, our bodies still need that water to function properly.

If we lose just 1.5% of the water in our bodies, we reach the tipping point of dehydration.

You’re probably familiar with the more common symptoms of dehydration: feeling thirsty, muscle cramps, dark yellow pee, headaches.

But dehydration can result in a host of other symptoms you may have never associated with loss of water.

Like craving sweets.

You see, your liver relies on water to release glycogen (stored glucose).

And your body needs this glucose to fuel itself.

But without enough water, glucose isn’t able to be released into the bloodstream, and your body starts starving for energy. 

This results in cravings, particularly sugar cravings.

If you’ve noticed your breath is a little smellier than usual, dehydration could be to blame.

That’s because dehydration can prevent your body from producing enough saliva.

And your body needs that saliva for a variety of reasons, one of which is to fight off the influx of bad bacteria that tries to enter your mouth.

As the bad bacteria begins to build-up in your mouth, foul breath can result.

Have you been experiencing joint pain and stiffness?

Dehydration may be the culprit.

Water helps lubricate your joints.

In fact, 80% of your joint cartilage is water.

But dehydration can reduce your joints’ shock-absorbing ability, which can lead to joint pain.

Bottomline, your body needs to be refueled with water regularly.

But if thirst is simply not something you feel during the cooler months, how do you know if you’re drinking enough water each day?

The color of your pee is a good indicator.

Light with a tinge to yellow is ideal.

But as I’ve mentioned before, some foods and vitamins can impact your pee color, so a urine check doesn’t always give you an accurate read.

An alternative is the skin test.

Using two fingers pinch some skin on the back of your hand.

The skin should spring back to its normal position in a couple of seconds.

But if it takes a bit longer, you could be dehydrated.

Developing the habit of drinking water throughout the day – even when you’re not thirsty – is key to fighting off dehydration.

This is especially important for older folks who are at greater risk of dehydration due to the fact that we feel less thirsty as we age.

To keep up with your water intake requirements, try carrying a reusable water bottle around with you and refill it throughout the day.

Or, setting reminders on your phone to drink water regularly. 

And if a cold glass of water is unappealing on a cool fall day, try warming up the water. Warm water is just as hydrating as cold.

Don’t let the cooler temps of fall trick you into thinking you don’t need that much water.

Because dehydration can cause some serious health issues.

Drink up throughout the day to keep dehydration from impacting your health.