People tend to think of dehydration as an acute and very serious condition with big, life-threatening and eminently clear symptoms on display. Just picture someone with dry, cracked lips and sallow skin staggering through a desert and you get the image that most people see when they hear “dehydration.” In fact, there’s more to it than that and people are more dehydrated than they might think.
Whether at home or in the office, first you should explore an Australian spring water provider to ensure that there’s always enough water in the house/office for people to drink. Once it’s there, look out for the following signs that someone might be dehydrated and remind them to pick up their water intake.
1. Frequent and/or Ongoing Feelings of Thirst
Okay, this first one might be a bit obvious, but it’s important to note when you find yourself feeling thirsty, and then still thirsty even after taking several sips of water. If you were to finish a 500ml bottle of water only to find yourself almost as thirsty as you were before, then you might be experiencing dehydration.
2. Dark-Coloured Urine
It’s not the most pleasant thing to notice, but if you happen to see that your urine has a dark yellow colour and a strong smell, that your body may be lacking the water it badly needs. On the same subject of urinary issues, you may also be dehydrated if you find that you only visit the bathroom for a pee fewer than 4 times a day.
3. Persistent Dryness in Lips and Eyes
Dryness on the lips when one is thirsty is a well-known symptom, of course, but people might overlook dryness in the eyes as a sign of dehydration, perhaps mistaking it for something else. Lips are easily dried, but your eyes are not. Dryness in and around the eyes may produce itching, which is the first noticeable sign. In addition, producing fewer tears is a noticeable sign that your eyes are drying.
4. Fatigue
Water helps to energize you and keep you from feeling unduly tired. By promoting good circulation, water is a key ingredient in seeing your red blood cells successfully deliver oxygen to different parts of your body and thus keep up your energy levels. Have strong feelings of tiredness accompanied any of the other symptoms we’ve described above so far? If so, your dehydration could be getting more serious.
5. Headaches
Finally, you should be wary of headaches. Dehydration-induced headaches can occur even before the problem becomes very serious. In that sense, it’s good because it’s a strong prompt to drink more water and relieve yourself of that discomfort.
Managing and Preventing Dehydration
If you are dehydrated, your first order should not be to down a 2L bottle of water as fast as possible. You should increase your fluid intake — preferably pure water — but do it steadily. Start with cups of water, and spread it out over a longer period. Use the disappearance of any symptoms as a sign that your water levels are returning to a normal and healthy level.
Remember that it is possible to be “overhydrated” of course, which results in your cells taking on too much water, causing them to swell up. If those cells are your brain cells, then the resulting brain swell can create dangerous pressure there. There is even a condition called “water intoxication,” the worst results of which include seizures and coma!
So, remember that it’s more about balance and maintaining that balance. Drink water steadily throughout the day and look out for any symptoms of dehydration.
