You can survive weeks without food, but only days without water–yet so many of us overlook our daily hydration needs. When we think of being dehydrated, we picture the classic symptoms: dry mouth and eyes, headaches, cramps, and even thirst. Many of these signs, especially thirst, are late indications of dehydration. Shockingly, most of us are walking around day-to-day mildly dehydrated, and the effects are more impactful on our health than we realize!
Multiple studies have shown that even mild dehydration, resulting in 1-2% loss of body water, leads to decreased attention and memory, increased moodiness, fatigue, and impaired motor coordination — that’s less than the amount of skipping a glass of water or experiencing light perspiration. Many remedy these daily occurrences with caffeine and other quick fixes that only exacerbate the symptoms.
Thankfully, there are many early warning signs of mild dehydration that even just a few glasses of water can help to correct!
Signs and symptoms to watch for:
- Brain fog and difficulty concentrating (body directing fluids to more important functions)
- Mood swings or irritability (often occurs even before feeling thirsty)
- Dizziness or lightheadedness (especially when standing)
- Cravings for salt or sugar (often your body wants fluid and electrolytes, not food!)
- Mild headaches (much more common in kids and the elderly)
- Slowed digestion (less water means less movement)
Hydration matters
Water quite literally helps to facilitate and run every cell function and communication, nerve conduction, hormone stability, tissue repair, and organ function. In fact, our brain consists of 75% of water, and around 60-70% of our cell volume is water! Without adequate water, our bodies run sluggishly, become depleted, and begin to shut down. When we are even just slightly dehydrated the effects on our body are profound at the cellular level–slower cellular metabolism, decreased ability to flush toxins, increased cortisol, and disruption in electrolytes.
How do we stay hydrated?
So how do you add more water throughout the day without spending most of your time taking trips to the restroom? And what do you do if water isn’t your favorite go-to beverage? Try a few of these tips:
- Start by monitoring your current water intake and symptoms of mild dehydration
- Gradually increase your water intake – add an extra glass of water each week
- Incorporate foods high in water content – cucumbers, oranges, watermelon, celery, strawberries, and zucchini
- Set reminders to drink consistently throughout the day. Small sips throughout the day are more powerful than chugging all at once and decrease frequent bathroom breaks!
- Add a pinch of high-quality sea salt or electrolytes to your water to better help stay hydrated
- Add flavor to your water – lemon, cucumbers, or other infused flavors if water is not your preferred drink
- Aim to drink at least half your bodyweight in ounces – some people need more depending on activity and climate
It has been said that the difference between feeling alert and fatigued boils down to just 16 ounces of water. Water is convenient, cheap, and honestly non-negotiable for your health. Don’t let the busyness of the day keep you from operating at your best–adding just a few extra cups of water might be the answer you’ve been looking for!
Meg Bonner, BSN, RN – NC-BC
Board Certified Nurse Coach
Email: megbonnerrn@gmail.com
Website: megbonnerrn.com
Follow me on Instagram: the.holistic_rn
