Living in Spain has a huge amount going for it but the sunshine and heat also has its draw backs. Dehydration can be much worse than feeling thirsty, it can be a sign of sunstroke or heat exhaustion and can result in a loss on consciousness and even hospitalisation.
It doesn’t take much to become dehydrated: if you lose just 1.5 percent of the water in your body, you’ve reached the tipping point of dehydration. However, your body will give you some warnings, so here’s what you need to watch out for…
Bad breath
Saliva has important antibacterial properties. When dehydrated, the decreased saliva in the mouth allows bacteria to thrive, resulting in bad breath. Also, while we’re talking about your mouth, dehydration can cause it to feel dry, for obvious reasons.
Dry skin
Your skin will let you know if you haven’t been drinking enough water. Dehydrated skin will feel tight and appear dull when you look in the mirror. You may even notice more exaggerated wrinkles or darker-than-usual under eye circles.
Tiredness
That mid-afternoon slump may have more to do with dehydration than you think. A number of the symptoms of dehydration can make you feel sleepy. Physical tasks may also feel more difficult and tiring because your muscles are lacking H2O, which is necessary for them to function properly.
Irritability
If you’re feeling cranky, drink a glass of water and your mood may change. Neurological effects of dehydration can cause irritability.
Chills
It may seem counterintuitive, but dehydration can bring on chills. This occurs because your body starts to limit blood flow to the skin.
Muscle cramps
When your body isn’t getting enough water, it slows down blood circulation, which can make your muscles cramp up. The body will protect its vital organs, so it shifts fluid away from muscles and anything that’s not vital.
Lightheadedness and confusion
Along with your muscles, your brain also gets less blood circulation when you’re low on water, which can make you dizzy and this can constitute a situation when dehydration can warrant medical attention.
Headache
Dehydration can cause headaches in a couple of different ways. Lack of water affects your body’s serotonin levels, which can give you headaches. In addition, small blood vessels in the brain respond quickly to hydration levels (which is also the culprit behind those nasty hangover headaches), leading to dull aches and even full-blown migraines.
Dark-coloured urine
One telltale sign of dehydration is dark yellow urine. A lot of people will notice their urine starts to get concentrated or dark in colour. When you’re dehydrated, your kidneys, which filter waste, tell your body to retain water. That means you’ll have less water in your urine, causing it to become more concentrated with waste products and, therefore, darker.
Excessive thirst
It might seem obvious, but being thirsty is a big hint that you’re not as hydrated as you should be. When you get dehydrated, you’ll naturally be thirsty, so listen to your body’s signals and rehydrate until you’ve quenched your thirst.