Less Obvious Signs You’re Not Drinking Enough Water

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You can usually tell that you’re dehydrated because you’ll feel thirsty, have a dry mouth, your urine will be darker and less frequent, and you may suffer from headaches and light-headedness. But there are other signs that indicate you’re not drinking enough water, which might be less obviously linked to dehydration. Let’s look at some examples to look out for…

Dry, chapped skin

If you have dry skin that moisturizers and other skin care products can’t beat, then it might just be a lack of hydration. Your skin cells need water just like the rest of your body, so your skin will look and feel dry if you’re not getting enough water. Your lips are also likely to become dry and chapped and your skin may lose some of its elasticity

Muscle cramps

Our bodily fluids contain electrolytes that play a number of roles in the body. Staying hydrated helps to maintain a balance between these electrolytes and the fluids they are contained in. If you become dehydrated, this balance is thrown off due to the lack of water, making you more likely to experience muscle cramps.

Food cravings

Sometimes, when you think you are hungry, you’re actually just thirsty. These signals can get mixed up in our brains, leading to false feelings of hunger or cravings for particular foods. Water can be filling, which is why drinking water with your meals can help to curb portion control. Craving sweet snacks when your hungry may due to signals sent by your liver due to it not being able to function optimally when you don’t provide it with enough water.

Bad breath

We already mentioned that dehydration can cause a dry mouth. Connected to this, bad breath could be a sign that you’re not drinking enough water. Dry mouth, or xerostomia, results from a lack of saliva production. Your saliva helps to keep your mouth clean and sanitary by washing away food particles and preventing bacteria from building up. So, without sufficient saliva, this build-up of bacteria leads to bad breath.

Fatigue

If you’re tired all of the time, then it might not just be your sleep schedule that’s causing problems. Your entire body needs water to function, so it makes sense that you feel lethargic when you don’t get enough of it. Dehydration reduces blood flow to your brain and other organs due to the decrease in bodily fluids, making them less efficient at doing their jobs. Dehydration can also literally disrupt your sleep due to a decrease in the production of melatonin, and a dry mouth and nasal passages causing irritation.

If you experience any of these signs of dehydration, then it’s time to add more water to your daily routine. Get in touch with Mountain Park Spring Water to find out more about our convenient spring water delivery service across Virginia and North Carolina.