I drink water every day without thinking about it too much. It’s natural to me, when I feel thirsty, to simply go to a tap and pour a glass. It’s as normal as breathing air. After all, water is vital for every living thing on the planet.
It should go without saying that water does plenty for the body; it serves many different functions. Among other things, it’s good for digestion and nutrition; ideal for keeping our bodies in good shape.
But just how many glasses should you be drinking a day?
Well, it differs from person to person. A common thing for people to do is only drink when they’re thirsty – by then, though, dehydration may already be occurring. Here are 9 signs that you’re not consuming enough water.
1. The colour of your urine
If you notice that your urine is a darker shade than normal – yellow, or even brownish – you should drink water straight away.
2. How many times you visit the toilet
Do you go to the toilet less than two or three times a day? Only once every several hours? If so, it could be an idea to start drinking more water. Usually, you should be peeing around six to seven times a day, depending on how much you drink. If you go long bouts without drinking water, it can affect your kidneys – thus damaging the body’s ability to clean itself.
3. Dry skin
Dry skin could well be associated with drinking too little water as well. Researchers continue to dispute the exact explanation for dry skin, though many believe it has to do with water and fat content in the skin.
4. Feeling hungry
Our bodies can feel hungry through lack of water. Sometimes, even though you might have just eaten, you can be hungry following a meal. This is your body’s way of telling you to drink more water.
5. Fatigue
People who don’t drink enough water often feel tired and fatigued during the day. This is because your body “lends” water from the blood, which causes oxygenation to decrease throughout the body.
6. A headache
Headaches can often be a sign that you’re not drinking enough water. To find out if it is this particular problem, see what happens if you move quickly or bend down to pick something up. Does the headache get worse? If so, try drinking more water.
8. Irritability
When your body is lacking necessary fluids, you can become irritable. If this is the case, drink a glass of water and the symptoms should abate.
9. Constipation
Yes, even your intestines need water to work. Should the body not get enough fluid, it can retrieve it from your stool to compensate. This invariably leads to constipation.
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