It is a myth that dehydration occurs only in the summer season when heat attack is at its peak. Dehydration can happen at any time of the year if you don’t drink enough water. We all know that 70% of the human body is made up of water and so, drinking water is a must to keep the body functioning. Second mistake that most people commit is ignoring the signs and symptoms of dehydration. Not just thirst but your body gives many other signals when you deprive it of water. In this article, we will tell you 5 unknown signs of dehydration that your body gives.
Dehydration causes Bad Breath
Bad breath is actually caused due to bacteria in your mouth but it can also be caused due to less saliva production. Saliva is essential as it has certain enzymes that allow food to digest properly. However, when your body is dehydrated, it would not produce enough saliva. This would make your mouth smell foul. Low water content promotes bacterial growth inside the mouth that causes bad or foul breath.
NOTE: People who don’t drink water before bed often wake up with bad breath. This is because saliva production is anyway slower during sleep and dehydration just makes it worse.
Dry or Flushed Skin
This is a sign that most people ignore. If your body is running low on water, your skin would become dry. It may look flushed and redness is also witnessed. Environment soaks up the moisture from the skin and when there is less water in your body, all the skin’s moisture is utilised leaving behind dry skin.
Also Read: Is It Safe To Drink Warm Water During Pregnancy
Muscle Cramps
Have you ever suddenly got muscle cramps despite lying on the couch? This could be an alarm that you haven’t had water for a really long time and that you must drink some water or other healthy fluids like fresh juice or coconut water. Muscle cramps are more evident during the summer season due to the heat effect on muscles. When there is no water to cool down the body, muscles become stiff to prevent themselves from heat attack which can lead to cramping.
Headaches
Headache is a normal thing and probably this is why people dismiss this sign of dehydration. They don’t know that headache is caused when water levels drop. People who have migraine should not ignore this and keep themselves hydrated as dehydration trigger headache and it further triggers migraine. Keep sipping water throughout the day to keep your migraine away.
Also Read: Headache or Migraine? Know Signs, Risk Factors and Management Tips from Doctor
Sweet cravings
If you are craving something, particularly sweet, drink a glass of water. If you are dehydrated, your sugar craving would instantly subside. This is a trick that you can try when you feel hungry too. When you are thirsty, you may feel hungry as well. This is because glucose is not released when there is insufficient water in the body. This is why you crave sweets. As soon as you drink water, all the functions would restore back to normal and your glucose levels would also improve in a few minutes. Try this trick and it would save you from consuming a lot of unnecessary calories!
We must drink an ample amount of water throughout the day to prevent dehydration. Water is an essential component for the body and so, its levels should always be optimal. Drink water, fresh juices, coconut water, etc. to compensate water loss.
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