10 Symptoms of Dehydration and How to Prevent Them

Have you had any water today? Yes, we’re talking to you. Not to worry, no judgment here, but unless you’ve drunk six to eight glasses of it, we highly suggest you pick up your fancy water bottle and have some. 

Your mom kept nagging you to drink more water all these years for a good reason. Hydration is necessary for survival. While the human body can go up to three weeks without food, it can only last a few days without water. Sure, juice and coffee may taste better, but it’s water that helps our body function optimally.

In the following post, we’ll discuss low body water percentage symptoms to watch out for and effective ways to prevent dehydration. 

Symptoms of Dehydration

There are numerous signs indicating you have a low body water percentage. Levels of dehydration can be moderate, mild, and severe, depending on the amount of fluid missing from your body. In the following sections, we’ll outline the most important indicators. 

• Thirst

Let’s start with the most obvious one. Thirst is your body’s way of signaling that you haven’t been taking enough fluid. There are many reasons why you may feel this way. Maybe you’ve just finished a workout, so you’ve lost a lot of fluid sweating. Or you have stomach flu, so you’ve been vomiting and have diarrhea. Remember that constant and excessive urges to drink water could be an underlying sign of diabetes, according to the NHS.

•  Dry Mouth and Throat

A dry mouth and throat are other signs of a low body water percentage. Namely, in this instance, your salivary glands aren’t producing enough saliva, which is often a sign of dehydration. Moreover, you can also experience dry mouth when you’re anxious or nervous. If you suffer from these symptoms persistently, it’s always better to consult a professional. 

• Dark Yellow Urine

This is a very straightforward tell that you need to consume more fluid. If your urine is dark yellow, it is usually a sign of dehydration. For comparison, urine should generally be light yellow, like lemonade. Try increasing your water intake gradually so your body can absorb it adequately. 

• Fatigue and Weakness

Did you know that fatigue is among the most common low body water percentage symptoms? This sense of tiredness can happen due to numerous factors, primarily because dehydration can negatively impact our sleeping patterns. Consequently, fatigue can affect your day-to-day life and make everything seem more challenging. Monitor your water intake if you start experiencing weakness, and adjust it accordingly. 

• Dizziness or Lightheadedness

We’ve already mentioned that water is essential for the normal activity of our organs, the brain in particular. Namely, when we are severely dehydrated, our brain can't function properly — the volume of blood goes down, as does your blood pressure. As a result, some may experience bouts of dizziness or lightheadedness.

• Headaches

A headache caused by dehydration is usually accompanied by the symptoms mentioned above. They’ll get better once you increase your water intake. To be precise, when we don’t drink enough water, our organs and tissues can contract, the brain included. As it shrinks, it recedes from the skull, pushing on the nerves and causing a headache that can vary in severity.

• Dry-Looking Skin

Do you know how everyone says the secret to plump and glowy skin lies in hydration? Well, they’re not wrong. If you feel like your skin has lost its elasticity, it might just be a lack of water. Keep in mind that dry skin and dehydrated skin are not the same. The former doesn’t produce enough sebum, while the latter simply lacks water in its uppermost layer.

• Muscle Cramps

The feeling of weakness you’re experiencing due to dehydration can also carry over to your muscles, causing cramps. They can happen during a workout or while you’re sleeping at night. Electrolyte imbalance and reduced blood flow are often behind this unpleasant and painful sensation.

• Rapid Heartbeat

You’ve probably noticed your heart rate go up while you’re exercising. While this is perfectly normal, if you experience rapid heartbeat even after you've cooled down, you might be dehydrated. Again, we have electrolytes to blame here because they can also affect the heart’s ability to pump blood.

• Sunken Eyes

While not the most obvious symptom, the feeling of having sand in your eyes may be because you’re not taking enough fluid. Similarly to salivary glands, not enough tears and fluid are circulating, leading to your eyes becoming itchy and dry. Staying hydrated throughout the day can help alleviate the symptoms.

How to Prevent Dehydration

Now that you know the leading indicators of a body water percentage low, let us take a closer look at some preventative measures. After all, prevention is always much more straightforward than treating the symptoms.

• Drink plenty of water — Needless to say, the most basic way to prevent dehydration is by upping your water intake. Every adult should drink at least six to eight glasses of water daily. 

• Take breaks during workouts — Exercise requires proper hydration. Keep your water bottle close so you can take smaller sips during your session. If you want to check your hydration levels, you can always consult a Smart Body Fat Scale like Eros, which can help you keep track of 13 different metrics 

EROS Smart Body Fat Scale

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine — Certain alcoholic beverages and caffeine can act as diuretics, which means they remove the water from your body.
• Eat foods with high water content — Different types of melons, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, and more, all have high water content, which can help you stay hydrated during the day. You can even mix things up and make a fruit salad. 
• Dress appropriately for the weather conditions — During summer, make sure to wear thin fabrics and loose clothes, which will allow your skin to breathe and lower the chances of getting heatstroke. 

Final Takeaway

Those wondering — “Should body water be high or low?” ought to know that the answer is somewhere in the middle. Now that you understand the signs of dehydration and how to avoid them, you can act accordingly. Whether you’ll spend an afternoon munching on some strawberries or check your body water on INEVIFIT’s Eros Scale, it’s up to you. What matters is that you stay hydrated!

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