Make certain that you’re drinking enough water every day!
Image via Harold Groven (Flickr)
Signs You’re Not Drinking Enough Water
If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I am a stickler for keeping hydrated. A majority of Americans are chronically dehydrated – 75 percent of us to be exact. This is not good, especially when you take into consideration that our bodies are 60 percent water. We need our water. I even make certain that my dog, Storm, has plenty of fresh drinking water all the time! My blog followers also know that there are conflicting schools of thought as to exactly how much water we need to drink daily, so it’s hard to know what your ideal daily water intake should be. You can tell very easily, however, if you aren’t getting drinking water. How? Look for these important signs:
- Thirst – The number one sign that you are not drinking enough water is your thirst mechanism. Thirst is our body’s natural way of telling us to go grab a glass of fresh water. If you’re thirsty, drink water. Your body is telling you that you aren’t drinking enough.
- Dryness – You see how rain replenishes dry land, and water works much the same in our bodies. If your mouth, eyes, and/or skin are dry, you need water. Dry/sticky mouths, tearless or sunken eyes, and dry skin cool to the touch are all signs of dehydration, so drink up!
- Heartbeat – Water keeps our body temperature normal and keeps our cells hydrated and healthy. You might notice when you’re particularly hot that your heartbeat increases or beats irregularly. Get some water and seek medical attention for any irregular heartbeat!
- Irritability – If you are dehydrated, you are likely to become irritable because your body is stressed. You need to stay hydrated to keep your body functioning at optimal levels. If you notice you are extremely moody or irritable, you just might need to drink more water.
- Tiredness – Dehydration also causes fatigue, listlessness, tiredness, and in severe cases coma and death. If you start drinking more water, I guarantee that you are going to notice a boost in your energy and concentration levels.
- Urination – Aside from thirst, the other primary determinant whether you are drinking enough water is your urine. If your urine is dark yellow or brown, smells strong, or you are finding it difficult to urinate at all, get the doctor and definitely drink more water!
So why is it so important to watch for these signs and ensure that you are drinking enough water on a daily basis? Because dehydration can literally kill you, especially if you are older, an athlete, a child, or living in an extremely hot climate. I’ve talked about this before, but it bears repeating: dehydration wreaks havoc on your body. It truly does.
When you are dehydrated, you are literally compromising your body’s ability to function; that is evident by the list of symptoms I typed above. When you aren’t drinking enough water, you are affecting your body’s cardiovascular, circulatory, digestive, lymphatic, muscular, nervous, respiratory, skeletal, and urinary systems. That’s pretty much everything and, honestly, you’re also compromising your endocrine, immune, and reproductive systems well because, again, water feeds all of our cells.
So, what can you do to ensure that you are drinking enough water? First of all, drink water! Don’t load up on sugary sodas, energy drinks, coffee, tea, etc. Drink water and try to drink the Institute of Medicine’s recommended 91 ounces for women and 125 ounces for men each day.
Secondly, eat nutritious foods heavy in water content, such as plenty of fruits and vegetables. The USDA recommends three to five servings of veggies daily and two to four servings of fruits. A fresh fruit salad is a tasty way to get some of the water you need daily, and all foods laden with water count toward your recommended daily water intake!
Written By: Lynn Taylor
