Feeling thirsty is not the only way you can tell you need more hydration
It might seem that feeling thirsty is the most obvious sign your body is dehydrated and that you should drink some water, but there are other ways your body may be letting you know it’s parched and you didn’t even realize it. Pay more close attention to your body’s cues. These are just some of the telltale signs you likely need to drink more H2O.
You feel dizzy when you get up too quickly
Ever stand up fast and all of a sudden feel a wave of wooziness? This could be tied to your body needing more water. When your body is in a dehydrated state, your blood volume and blood pressure both drop, which can bring on that dizziness with a sudden movement, such as getting up from a bed, or standing up from your desk.
Your muscles are cramping up
Muscle cramps occur when your hydration and electrolyte balance is off. When you’re not drinking enough water, this affects your electrolyte levels, including potassium and sodium, and this can trigger muscle cramps. Drinking enough water on a regular basis can help minimize those pesky muscle spasms.
You have bad breath
The reason we have saliva in our mouths is to wash away food bits that can collect in crannies in your teeth, along with your gums and on your tongue. If you’re low on saliva, this means that food debris stays put, which can cause bacteria to develop, which can lead to stinky breath. Get that saliva flowing and maintain a moist mouth by sipping water, and those pesky food particles will get washed away.
Your skin is less elastic
A quick little test: pinch the skin on the back of your hand and release. If it doesn’t spring back to its resting, flat state (instead lasting momentarily in the way you’ve pinched it), this can be a sign from your skin that you need more water. When your body is lacking hydration by as little as five percent, it can affect your skin’s elasticity. Getting enough water will help boost your skin’s springiness.
You feel like snacking all the time
If you know you’ve been eating enough food to fuel your body, but you still feel the urge to snack regularly, it could be your body telling you it needs more water. Those cravings are often easily mistaken as a need for a snack. You can figure out if you indeed need a snack by first trying to drink some water; if you still feel pangs of hunger after drinking water, then go ahead and find a well-rounded snack that includes some protein to tide you over.
