Unfortunately, a shocking 25% of kids and teenagers are lacking water throughout the day.
Most kids obtain fluids through fruit juices, sugary beverages, and other subpar options. A recent study showed that this doesn’t cut it; children and teens need at least two to three quarts of water daily. So, unless they eat many fruits and vegetables, they probably need to drink a lot more water.
The problem becomes even more widespread when you consider adults – one study found that half of the American adults don’t drink the recommended amount of water daily. When your body is lacking water, this can cause a range of problems, including digestive issues, urinary tract infections, fatigue, anxiety, and brain fog.
Unsurprisingly, according to a report by CBS, 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
Did you know that water makes up 60% of our bodies, 75% of our muscles, and 85% of our brains? With that said, most people don’t take hydration seriously enough. It doesn’t help that most of us drink energy drinks, coffee, and soda instead of drinking what our bodies need.
These signs will surely tell you if you think you do not drink enough water daily. Being on the lookout for these symptoms can help you take steps to make sure you stay hydrated and healthy.
Here Are Ten Signs Your Body Is Lacking Water
Know these ten signs of dehydration and increase your fluid intake accordingly.
1 – Your skin, mouth, and eyes feel dry.
If you want to know whether you lack water, look to your skin for the biggest clues. Being chronically dehydrated means you won’t sweat out as much toxins when exercising, which can lead to clogged pores and acne. You might also have dry, cracked skin.
You might also suffer from dehydration if you don’t produce many tears. However, this could point to a different eye problem, so you should talk to your doctor if you experience this issue. Obviously, it goes without saying that you probably don’t drink enough water if you have a dry mouth and lips.
2 – You don’t pee very often, and your urine is dark yellow or brown when you do.
If you don’t pee much throughout the day and notice that you have dark urine when you use the bathroom, you need to drink more water. Water helps to eliminate toxins and keep the renal system functioning correctly. If you don’t drink enough water, all the toxins will accumulate in your body, and you’ll feel the effects of exhaustion, brain fog, and other complications.
Also, pay attention to the color of your urine. You must drink more daily water if you have dark yellow or brown urine. However, you may not want to consume much water close to bedtime because you’ll probably have to keep waking up to use the bathroom. Yellow or brown urine signifies that your body is holding onto the water to perform vital functions.
Try bringing a refillable water bottle to work or school to get your recommended water intake.
3 – You have frequent back and joint pain.
Your body’s cartilage contains nearly 80% water, so replenishing fluids after sweat will keep your bones and joints lubricated and healthy. Water helps to protect your joints and bones during strenuous activities or unexpected events, such as when you exercise or if you happen to trip or fall. Back pain could mean your kidneys aren’t working correctly; if your body is lacking water, some studies show that this could lead to permanent kidney damage.
Dehydration causes a buildup of muscle proteins called myoglobin in the kidneys, which can cause kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
You might often experience back and joint pain if your body lacks water.
4 – You experience frequent fatigue and mood swings.
Water carries oxygen into the body, so the more water you drink, the more vibrant and rejuvenated you feel. However, if your body lacks water, it turns to your blood to obtain oxygen, leaving you feeling depleted and exhausted. Because your body lacks oxygen, all your systems will slow down to compensate.
Inevitably, you will feel moodier and more exhausted, making it hard to carry out necessary tasks during the day. In fact, studies have shown that decreasing water intake in people who usually drink a lot of water leads to feelings of discontentment and anxiety. However, increasing water intake for those who usually drink very little leads to less fatigue and confusion.
5 – You feel hungry, even after you eat.
Most people associate a growling in their stomach with hunger, but thirst cues originate in the same part of the brain. If your body lacks water, it may trick you into thinking you’re hungry when you need a glass of water (or two!) Next time you feel hungry, try drinking water instead of eating. If you just ate something, you’re probably just dehydrated.
However, if the pain persists, you probably need to put some food in your belly.
6 – You suffer from high blood pressure.
When you don’t drink enough water, your blood becomes thicker, resulting in slower blood flow and sodium buildup. Dehydration combined with a high-sodium diet and a sedentary lifestyle can lead to high blood pressure, which can cause some of the other health problems we mentioned in the article.
7 – You have high cholesterol.
Water retention is another thing that happens when your body is lacking water. Essentially, it holds onto any water it can find to keep you alive. In this study, 15 people were told to fast in two different conditions: once without replacing fluids and another with the supplementation of salt and water.
Researchers found that when the participants fasted without fluid replacement, they had much higher total serum cholesterol levels than when they were supplemented with salt and water. While most people don’t fast, most suffer from dehydration and, therefore, are prone to high cholesterol.
8 – You have digestion problems.
Water helps move waste through your body. So you may suffer from digestive issues without water. Water gets toxins out of the body, but if you don’t drink enough of it, your waste will move much slower, resulting in constipation and stomach pain.
When dehydrated, the large intestine holds onto excess water from your food. As we said before, the body does this as a survival mechanism; it senses that you don’t have enough water in your system, so it retains water from any source it can find. You may notice digestive issues and fatigue because your waste will move slower due to the lack of water.
9 – You get rashes on your skin often.
Water helps the skin remain hydrated and moist; without enough water, your skin might appear dry, cracked, or red. When your body lacks water, this creates the perfect environment for toxins to build up on the skin. Dehydration can result from acne, psoriasis, eczema, and other skin disorders.
10 – You get bad headaches and brain fog frequently.
When you are dehydrated, your brain tissue loses water, which causes the brain to pull away from the skull. This sends alerts to the pain receptors surrounding the brain, which can cause anything from a mild headache to a migraine. When your body lacks water, blood flow slows down, which means less oxygen in your brain.
In turn, your body senses the lack of oxygen and dilates the blood vessels in the brain, which can lead to inflammation. The result is a pounding midday headache at work or school. If you experience headaches often, you might try drinking more water.
Final Thoughts on Understanding the Signs of a Body Lacking Water
We hope this article sheds some light on the complications of not drinking enough water. Many don’t prioritize water throughout our days, but we cannot survive without this precious resource. It pours life into our bodies, so bring a water bottle to feel rejuvenated and hydrated during your day.
If you have kids in school, make sure they know the importance of drinking water so that they don’t feel tempted to buy a soft drink or other sugary beverage at school.
In reality, we don’t need to drink anything besides water and maybe the occasional tea. Teaching kids the right things to put in their bodies will make them less inclined to buy drinks that damage their health.
Send them to school with a water bottle to ensure they get enough water throughout the day. A glass or stainless-steel bottle is best since harmful chemicals from plastic bottles can leech into the water.
To your continued hydration!
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