Five Symptoms of Dehydration
Your body loses water throughout your daily activities and despite being dehydrated you may not necessarily feel thirsty. Here is a list of signs and symptoms to be aware of.
Headaches and Dizziness.
Your brain relies on optimum fluid levels to stay functioning at its best. Dehydration can lead to a reduction of fluid in and around your brain, causing it to temporarily contract and pull away from the skull resulting in what’s known as a dehydration headache. This can also cause intermittent dizziness, confusion and forgetfulness.
Afternoon Slump.
Sometimes you just have those days where you can hardly keep your eyes open, sit still and focus on what you’re doing, despite a good night's sleep. A key sign of dehydration is being tired and lethargic, resulting in loss of concentration and increased irritability.
Sugar Cravings.
Without going too in-depth into the biological reasoning behind this unusual reaction, to put it simply - water helps facilitate your body's glycogen production which is responsible for producing glucose (a sugar). Without water, your body's glucose levels drop leading to your body craving external sugars instead.
For most healthy individuals, overhydration isn’t a serious concern, because the kidneys are able to excrete any excess fluid to maintain water and electrolyte balance.
Bad Breath.
Let's be honest, nobody wants to be the person in a conversation with bad breath! Dehydration can cause your mouth to dry out which accelerates the production of bacteria responsible for bad breath.
Dry Skin.
Dehydration can leave you with dry skin resulting in a dull appearance, flakiness and breakouts as your body compensates by increasing its oil production. Over time, it can also lead to reduced elasticity and the increase of fine lines and wrinkles.