10 Signs You’re Dehydrated

We often think of thirst as a sign to prevent dehydration, but thirst is a sign that you already are dehydrated. What is dehydration? It's the excessive loss of water and salts for normal bodily functions. That's the brief medical explanation. Meaning it can affect a whole slew of things, from temperature regulation to kidney function, as well as pull water from less "essential services" like skin and the mouth. So, you see, if you're thirsty you're already dehydrated as that's your body's way of attempting to stay afloat.

What's the difference between a typical headache and a dehydration headache? A water-deprived headache hurts when you move, like bending over, turning your head or even walking. The good news is that study subjects with dehydration headaches found relieve within a minimum of 30 minutes after drinking water.

If you've lost that sparkle, that shine in your eyes, you may be dehydrated. Not only will the skin around the eyes and the tear ducts suffer from a lack of water, but so does your eye ball, reports this study, which measured intraocular pressure (fluids in the eye). Also, dehydration may have risks over the long-term for diseases such as dry eye syndrome, cataracts and more, reports this study from Australia.

Your muscles need water (along with calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium to function properly. And if without these things, your muscles will cramp. This 2019 study suggests, though, that water may not be enough. If you're dehydrated and are about to exercise, consider having electrolytes too to prevent muscle cramping.

When your body is well hydrated, it produces adequate amounts of saliva. This keeps your mouth fresh and clean (with the help of brushing and mouthwash of course!). But when you're dehydrated, the lack of saliva helps bacteria grow in the mouth, reports the University of Michigan. Pretty gross, eh. It could also lead to dry mouth, which is linked to many diseases, drug side effects and more.

Too much sodium and not enough water in your blood is what happens when you're dehydrated. And that can increase blood pressure via a hormone called vasopressin, which can constrict blood vessels, making your heart pump harder and faster, say doctors.

And, not to make this all confusing or anything, but dehydration can also make blood pressure drop. When there's less water in blood, it won't flow properly, causing low blood pressure. Even mild dehydration (a loss of as little as 1 percent to 2 percent of body weight) can cause, reports the American Heart Association.

Ever have one of those days when you tell yourself you just "need a good drink." It's not because you need alcohol, actually. The inability to focus on things and get your body to do what your mind wants may be signs you need a drink of water. A 2018 study found that dehydration impairs "cognitive performance, particularly for tasks involving attention, executive function, and motor coordination when water deficits exceed 2% body mass loss." So if you "need a drink" don't go for something that is dehydrating, like coffee. That'll just make you pee!

Speaking of peeing... If you haven't done number one in a while or when you do, it's dark and cloudy, you may be dehydrated. And if you haven't done a number two either, you may be dehydrated. According to the University of Washington, constipation is a sign too: "the stool gets so hard and dried out that it's difficult to pass."

The thing about dehydration is that not drinking enough water isn't always the culprit. Sometimes it's about the body losing too much water too, like when you're sick with diarrhea, vomiting or excessive sweating. (You can also have exercise-induced dehydration too, by the way.)

Dehydration treatment can be as simple as drinking two litres of water a day. But if you experience these dehydration symptoms regularly or chronically, it's best to talk to your health care provider about how to prevent dehydration for you.