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How to tell if you are dehydrated

A glass of waterMost people can tell when they are moderately or severely dehydrated. But can you tell when you are mildly dehydrated? Mild dehydration symptoms can sometimes be brushed off, or even confused for other causes. However the consequences of mild dehydration on your wellness can be significant, particularly in the longer term.

Do chapped lips, mild headaches and fatigue sound very familiar to you? If so, you may be suffering from mild dehydration. Our body, composed mainly of water, has a very delicate fluid balance that regulates itself everyday. However, this balance can be slightly disturbed and your water intake may not be enough to compensate for the water loss, which is commonly known as dehydration.

Common symptoms
Dehydration symptoms cover a wide range, from mild to severe. Some of the common symptoms for mild dehydration may include;
  • Thirst, for example, as part of the body's mechanism to prevent dehydration, is the first warning sign that body functions don't have enough fluids to perform properly.
  • Dry mouth, chapped lips and dry skin are also signs of mild dehydration
  • In addition, urination symptoms may appear, such as less frequent urination and change of color and smell of urine
  • Finally, mild fatigue, headaches, tiredness, weakness and even fainting, accompanied by any of the aforementioned symptoms, are signs of mild dehydration.
The cause
Dehydration is caused by excessive loss of fluids, limited fluid ingestion or both. Dehydration can be classified as mild, moderate or severe, according to the amount of water lost. Depending on the speed of the dehydration process, sudden dehydration is called acute and slow dehydration is called chronic. While acute dehydration is easy to identify, chronic dehydration isn't so evident, since obvious symptoms may not be present.

Chronic effects
Regardless of the amount of water lost or the speed of loss, dehydration effects will appear. Some of the most common long term effects of chronic dehydration include;
  • exhaustion
  • constipation
  • urinary tract infections
  • low blood pressure
  • and gastritis
Some diseases already present may be affected by the lack of fluids, worsening the person's condition. In cases of severe dehydration, when the body loses 10% of body weight in water, the consequences may be fatal.

The solution
If you suspect you are dehydrated, follow a few simple steps;
  • drink two glasses of water before every meal
  • set an alarm or reminder to drink water
  • ingest food with elevated water content (such as fruits and vegetables)
  • or add flavor to your water with a few drops of lemon
Mild dehydration is easily reverted, but it doesn't mean it won't affect your health. Drinking more water will improve your health and your life in general.

Copyright © Darryl on NiceAnswers.com 2017

Editor's Note: Here are some additional resource links that you may find helpful in relation to dehydration;
Information on dehydration
An in depth Article on the impact of mild dehydration on wellness and exercise performance
Dehydration and its effect on the brain and body
The treatment of dehydration
Tags: health

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