By Salome  Akpan

The loss of body fluid caused by illness, sweating or inadequate intake of water are signs that show you are dehydrated

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than you take in. It is the process in which your body releases more fluids than it takes in.

When the normal water content of your body is reduced, it upsets the balance of minerals (salts and sugar) in your body, which affects the way it functions.

Water makes up almost all of the healthy human body. It lubricates the joints and eyes, aids digestion, flushes out waste and toxins, and keeps the skin healthy and refreshing.

The average adult body is made up of between 55-60 percent water, which is an indication as to why it’s so important to replenish these vital stores. Drinking fluids regularly can reduce the risk of dehydration.

Water or diluted squash are good choices, and you should drink enough during the day, so your pee is a pale clear color. Drink more when there’s a higher risk of dehydrating. For example, if you’re sick, sweating due to hot weather or exercise, or you have diarrhea. And moreover, children under the age of 5 should get plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Signs That Show You Are Dehydrated

Below are some of the symptoms associated with not drinking enough water.

–DRY SKIN

Dry skin is an uncomfortable condition marked by scaling, itching, and cracking of the skin that can occur for a variety of reasons. You might have naturally dry skin that does not improve even after using body lotion daily. It’s normal for our skin to change with the seasons.

Dry skin lacks sebum (oil) and should respond to the application of oil-rich products. When skin loses its luster due to dehydration, or the skin loses water too quickly, it becomes dry. This can happen for many reasons such as dehydration. start by drinking more water each day as water acts as a natural moisturizer and a booster to the skin.

–DRY OR STICKY MOUTH

Feeling thirsty or having a sticky mouth is a sign of dehydration. These dry conditions in your mouth can cause a serious case of bad breath. Dry mouth is a symptom that results from a lack of saliva as individuals with dry mouth do not have enough saliva to keep their mouth wet. Saliva is very important for the healthiness of the mouth, and you can’t be healthy in your mouth when you’re dehydrated.

A dry mouth and increased thirst can be a sign of something more serious, so making an appointment with your dentist is a good idea that could save you from bad breath and inconveniencing others who relate and interact with you on an everyday basis.

–TIREDNESS

Tiredness and lack of sleep adds to symptoms of dehydration. Tiredness refers to a common mental or physical state of extreme fatigue and lack of energy. Tiredness is also known as fatigue, reduced energy, physical or mental exhaustion, or lack of motivation. Fatigue can seriously affect your sense of well-being, ability to concentrate, along with feeling clumsy and prone to accidents. Regular intake of the right amount of water throughout the day might clear it up and keep you strong with enough strength to carry on your tasks.

–CONSTIPATION

Constipation is a condition in which a person has uncomfortable or infrequent bowel movements. Generally, a person is considered to be constipated when bowel movements result in passage of small amounts of hard, dry stool, usually fewer than three times a week. However, normal stool elimination may consist of having a bowel movement three times a day or three times a week.

Constipation depends on the person, and it is often as the result of not drinking enough fluid and eating enough high fiber foods. Get into the habit of drinking plenty of water throughout the day. After you’ve increased your intake, you should notice an improvement in your bathroom activities. If not, check with your medical professional just in case something else is going on which might not be dehydration.

–WEIGHT GAINING

Weight gaining is one of the signs of dehydration. Studies have shown that drinking as little as 500ml  of water can boost your metabolism by up to 30%. Weight gain refers to an increase in body weight. This can involve an increase in muscle mass and fat deposits. Weight gaining is good to some  people, but for some people, it might be as a result of lack of water or excess intake of water or other factors.

Many health and wellness experts had advised an increase in water consumption, fluids and among other tips as a means for losing and maintaining good and healthy weight.

– URINARY TRACT INFECTION

Urinary Tract Infection or UTIs often arise after bacteria has entered into our bodies through sexual intercourse or failing to wipe from front to back after using the bathroom, or dehydration.

A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection in any part of your urinary system, which includes your kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra which can be caused through bacteria. Drinking water helps to flush bacteria from our bladders, thus preventing infection from setting in and making our bladders their house and territory.

Also read: Health Hazards of Smoking Tobacco

–COLOURED URINE

One of the symptoms that shows dehydration is coloured urine or a decreased need to urinate at all. Normal urine color ranges from pale yellow to deep amber as the result of a pigment called urochrome and how diluted or concentrated the urine is. Pigments and other compounds in certain foods and medications can change your urine color. When your urine appears as a darker shade of yellow, or even brown, it could be a sign that you have low urine volume. As such, drinking much water and staying hydrated is capable of washing your system and giving you the natural urine color.

–MOODINESS

If you are contented one moment, then sad the next, then angry, then joyous, then irritable, you are suffering from moodiness, or changeable moods. Moodiness refers to the quality of changing your moods suddenly and becoming angry or unhappy easily. Moodiness may be caused by lack of fluids.

Some research has shown that just mild dehydration can lead to neurological changes that affect our ability to focus and can cause irritability. Even more shocking is that you only need to be 1 percent below your optimal level of hydration to feel these negative effects. In essence, you are expected to be fully hydrated in order to avoid this moodiness.

–HEADACHE

Headache often accompanies a state of dehydration, and it is  actually a common sign that someone is experiencing mild to moderate dehydration including a migraine. A headache is a pain in your head or face that is often described as a pressure that is throbbing, constant, sharp or dull.

To curb this headache, drinking only water when experiencing headaches and avoiding sugary or overly salty sports beverages, which can worsen the dehydration is the most genuine suggestion to help you stay free.