5 Ways Your Body Tells You Are Severely Dehydrated

You are likely to get dehydrated when you lose more water than you take in. Dehydration can make it difficult for your body to do some basic jobs like keeping your body temperature steady and clearing out waste from the body. The body loses water in the form of sweat, tears and every time you go to the bathroom. Did you know that more than half of your body weight comes from water? Dehydration can show surprising side effects on your body, some of which we are going to discuss in this article.

Mild dehydration can make you feel tired, give you a headache and even affect your mood and focus. The first sign that tells you are dehydrated is thirst. But by the time you feel the urge to quench your thirst, you are already a little dehydrated. The lag is comparatively longer in older adults. As long as you drink water every time your body asks for it, you're good to go. The elderly can stay safe by developing a habit of drinking water regularly.

If you have diarrhoea or vomiting, you need to drink more water than usual. Pregnant and breastfeeding women also need to drink water more than usual.

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Surprising signs of dehydration

1. To watch out for dehydration in babies, check for dry tongue, no tears when crying, no wet diapers for more than three hours and more fussiness than normal. In more severe cases, their mouths will be dry and sticky, and their eyes and cheeks may look sunken. Fast breathing and fast or weak pulse are also signs of dehydration in kids.

2. Feeling thirsty, dry or sticky mouth are the first signs of dehydration your body gives you. When you pee for less than four times a day. Dark urine with a strong smell are also dehydration symptoms.

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3. Dehydration can make you feel dizzy, lightheaded and may even cause fainting.

Dehydration can make you feel dizzy and light-headed
Photo Credit: iStock

4. In her book Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight, celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar says that most of us only drink sufficient water to satisfy thirst, and not to hydrate yourself. The amount of water you need to drink depends on factors like how physically active you are, temperature in your area and your overall health. Check the colour of your pee. Drink so much water that your pee is clear or pale yellow.

5. Maintaining electrolyte balance is also important. The levels of electrolyte in the body are closely tied to how much water is in the body. Electrolytes are salts like sodium, calcium and potassium. They play a role in the functioning of your nerves and bones.

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Apart from drinking sufficient water, you can drink lemon water, coconut water, buttermilk etc to improve your hydration. Hydrating foods like watermelon, cucumber, lettuce, orange and peaches can also help.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.