11 Signs You are Probably Not Drinking Enough Water

Are you drinking enough water daily? Doctors recommend that everyone consumes six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. That can sound excessive, but we have to remember how much water we lose each day!

Most importantly, the human body is made of water, and it is crucial that we consume enough for survival. Your blood is made of 83% water, and your lungs are 90% water. That is impressive!
Unfortunately, we are a busy people and tend to forget the essential building blocks of life. Despite the recommended amount being so high, an average person tends to consume less than five cups a day. That is a huge difference. How do you know if you aren’t drinking enough water? Here are some signs.

Signs You Aren’t Consuming Enough Water

Dark Yellow Urine

The most common sign is that your urine is dark yellow. Urine of a well-hydrated person is a light yellow color. It becomes darker because of the higher concentration of waste in the urine, such as dead blood cells and proteins.

Of course, some things could change urine momentarily, such as some medications and food. If you know that you consumed something that would alter your urine color, don’t fret. If you aren’t sure, increase your water intake and note the color next time!

Less Frequent Urination

An average person urinates 6 to 7 times in a 24-hour period. If you aren’t drinking enough fluids, that number will be greatly decreased. While you don’t need to count your bathroom trips, you might notice that its been hours in between each urination. If so, increase your water intake!

Constipation

No one likes constipation! It is a miserable experience. Thankfully, most cases can be solved by increasing your water intake. When you are dehydrated, your body searches for the essential water needed, even if that means removing it from your colon.

If you want to reduce the chance of constipation or treat it, drink the recommended amount of water. Believe it or not, it takes a lot of water to generate soft stools. Of course, there are always other reasons for constipation, but dehydration could always be a consideration.

Dry Mouth

Does your mouth have that dry, sticky feeling that is so annoying? If so, find liquids to solve your issue. Water helps to lubricate the mucous membranes in your mouth and throat. Try to avoid sugary drinks because they will only solve the issue for a short time. Water helps with saliva production.

Fatigue

Are you feeling tired and lacking energy even with a full night’s rest? Dehydration could be your culprit. Dehydration causes your heart to work harder to move oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. You might be tempted to reach for a cup of coffee, but water could be more energizing!

Dry and Wrinkly Skin

Skip all of those expenses beauty products in the store and reach for a cold glass of water. You don’t need to spend a crazy amount of money on moisturizers when the answer is often water!
Dehydration can lead to itchy, inflamed, and inflamed skin. Your skin might flake or feel scaly. Extreme causes experience red cracks and bleeding. Then, as your skin loses moisture as your body searches for water, cells start to shrivel, leading to the dreaded wrinkles you want to avoid.

So, instead of reaching for expensive treatments at the store, try ensuring that you are always well-hydrated. Hydration leads to healthy, blemish-free, glowing skin, exactly what those marketing companies are trying to sell you.

Headaches

Are you finding yourself reaching for the bottle of Tylenol way more than you’d like? If so, you could be failing to drink enough water. As we mentioned before, a lack of water consumption causes your body to find any way to preserve and suck up more water. Your brain isn’t safe from this process, and it will start to lose moisture.

As your brain loses moisture and pulls away from the skull, it triggers headaches. Blood vessels can dilate and lead to more swelling, making your experience even worse. Thinking about it makes your head hurt. Drink some extra water when you have another headache and see the results!

Dry Eyes

Even your eyes aren’t safe from your body’s desperate search for valuable water and moisture. If you fail to drink enough water, you can have an unpleasant, gritty, dry feeling in your eyes, similar to a hangover. Unfortunately, it won’t go away unless you decide to hydrate yourself!

Hunger Pains

Having hunger pains after you eat is a sign that your body needs more hydration. Your body is confused and doesn’t understand that it needs a few glasses of water to be satisfied. So, you get hunger pains instead. If you know that your body isn’t truly hungry, try drinking some water and see how you feel.

Sicknesses Lasting Longer

Sicknesses tend to last longer when you aren’t drinking enough water. Hydration is essential for flushing out all of the nasty toxins that are leading to your illnesses. When you are sick, make sure that you are increasing your fluid intake even more than usual. Water is a preventative measure from getting sick and also a way to get rid of those illnesses faster!

Dizziness

The last sign that should concern if you are dizziness. Just like several other signs of hydration, dizziness could be caused by other issues. If you’ve been ignoring the feeling of thirstiness and start feeling dizzy, chances are it is due to dehydration. You might notice this more if you are outside in the hot sun or after you are done working out. Remember to keep a bottle of water with you when you head out or to the gym.

Dehydration can be a serious health issue that leads to multiple problems. Water is essential for your well-being! Make sure that you stick to as close to the daily recommended amount and pay attention to any signs that you need to increase your intake.