60% of the human body is water. It is very important for the normal functioning of the body and metabolic processes. However, you will lose water through sweat, urination, and breathing. Therefore, you should drink enough water regularly to stay hydrated.
Inadequate water intake can lead to severe fatigue, headaches, and digestive problems in addition to a general feeling of dehydration. Chronic dehydration weakens your immune system. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 21 signs you might not be drinking enough water.
If you experience any of these symptoms, the first step is to increase your daily water intake.
Signs You’re Not Drinking Enough Water
Water is so important to our body’s functions that its lack can cause many problems. Here are the most common signs of dehydration that indicate you need to drink more water.
- Constant thirst
First, let’s look at the obvious symptoms of dehydration – thirst. You may have an intense thirst that won’t be quenched by a simple sip or sip of water. Your body is trying to tell you that it hasn’t had enough water for a while, so you need to quench this thirst as soon as possible. - Persistent bad smell
By staying properly hydrated, you help your salivary glands produce more saliva, which helps remove bacteria from your mouth. When you’re dehydrated, saliva production is restricted, which encourages bacteria to grow in your gums and between your teeth. This can lead to chronic bad breath. - Diminished urine/dark urine
Your kidneys need water to function properly and to flush out toxins from your body. If you don’t drink enough water, your kidneys will retain more water and urinate less. Not only that, the next time you urinate, it will contain more toxins, become darker in color and smell stronger. - Constant hunger and craving for sweets
Without adequate water intake, your body will have trouble making energy from glucose stores. As a result, you feel hungry and start craving sweet foods like chocolate, cookies, and candies. If this happens to you, i.e. you are still hungry after eating, it could be a sign of dehydration.
Read: How Drinking Water Helps Lower Blood Sugar
- Weight gain
Gain weight
This stems from the last point. If drinking less water increases hunger, it can lead to weight gain. In addition, dehydration lowers the metabolic rate, which contributes to weight gain. - Poor skin health
If you’re dehydrated, your skin cells are also dehydrated. This means your skin will start to feel dry, stretchy and flaky, as well as fine lines and sagging skin. Water also helps flush out toxins from the body, so not having enough water can cause toxins to build up and lead to acne and pimples. - Digestive problems/constipation
Digestive problems
Water keeps the digestive system healthy and helps food pass smoothly through the digestive tract. It also keeps your stool soft and makes it easier to pass. Dehydration can lead to loose stools and slow down the passage through the body. This can lead to frequent constipation, bloating and flatulence. - Dry mouth and chapped lips
We all know that sticky, dry mouth feels awful. However, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this is the result of dehydration or improper water intake. So are dry, chapped lips that crack easily. These are often the first signs of dehydration and can be addressed by increasing your daily water intake. - Dry eyes
Without water, tear ducts dry up and your eyes can’t keep moisture. As a result, your eyes will become irritated and bloodshot. Dry eyes are an unpleasant sensation that can easily be avoided if you regularly drink the recommended amount of water. - Muscle contractions
Excessive sweating can lead to dehydration. And if your body doesn’t have enough water to sweat, it can lead to muscle aches. You see, the body sweats to cool itself down. So, if you’re in a hot environment and you’re dehydrated, that heat will affect your muscles and cause them to tighten up. - Muscle and joint pain
Muscle spasms
Did you know that 80% of our cartilage is water? Therefore, without water, the cartilage weakens and causes the bones to rub against each other.
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