Keeping hydrated has a huge impact on our health and body since almost 70 percent of the human body is comprised of water. Though this is true, many people still take drinking plain water for granted and opt to take sweet carbonated drinks instead. Here are signs that show a person is lacking water in their body.
1. Your mouth and lips are dry.
When you’re dehydrated, saliva production decreases, leaving your mouth and lips feeling dry. Dry mouth can also make your breath stinky, because bacteria has the chance to linger longer when it’s not being washed away on the reg.
2. The skin becomes dry
Water is essential for plump, hydrated skin. When your body’s tank is low, and using all the water available for basic functions, your skin gets the short end of the stick. Over time, it can lead to dryness.
3. Feeling excessively thirsty
Other forms of liquid such as sweet and caffeinated drinks may get rid of a persons thirst but only for a short period of time. We need to drink the recommended 8 glasses of plain water a day to ensure the body is well hydrated and enough oxygen is getting through to the brain.
4. The eyes become dry
Plain water is not just important for the mouth and throat but it also affects the eyes. Lack of water in the body can cause the eyes to feel dry or in worse cases the eyes can become bloodshot due to a ruptured nerve. Drinking enough water is essential to curb dryness of the eyes especially for those who wear contact lenses.
5. Having joint pain
Our bone and spinal cartilage is comprised of about 80% of the body’s fluids, therefore it is important to make sure the body is getting enough water so that our bones remain in optimal condition.
6. Decrease in muscle mass
The body’s muscles are mostly made up of water. A deficit of water in the body will cause a decrease in muscle mass. Drinking water before, during, and after exercising will not only hydrate you, it will also reduce the likelihood of inflammation and pain caused by exercise and weight lifting.
7. Experiencing extended pain
Drinking water allows your body to continuously get rid of toxins. Our organs are like machines in that it filters out waste that is not needed in the body. A machine cannot function properly if it is not well-oiled and in this same strand the human body will not be able to function optimally if it is not well hydrated.
8. Feeling tired and lethargic
When the body is dehydrated, it will take nourishment from other fluids in the body in order to function. This will cause the overall amount of oxygen in the body to decrease which in turn will cause drowsiness and fatigue.
9. Feeling hungry often
Thirst and hunger cues come from the same part of the brain, so it’s easy to confuse the two. If you feel hungry even when you know you’ve eaten enough, there’s a good chance your body’s actually telling you it needs water, not food.
10. Experiencing digestive problems
There is mucus in our mouth and throat which is affected by how hydrated we are. Hydration allows the membrane to function correctly. This also applies to the entire digestive system. Without proper hydration, the amount and strength of mucus in the stomach lessens, allowing stomach acid to do some major damage to your insides. This leads to what we commonly refer to as heartburn and indigestion.
