So we’ve all heard that you should always keep hydrated, but do we actually know why? If not, keep reading to find out, plus learn how to prevent the dangers of dehydration! 

This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.

What is Dehydration?

Dehydration is when your body doesn’t have enough water to function correctly.

Your body tends to lose water throughout the day by sweating, urinating, and even crying.

But the water that is released should be replaced by drinking more water and eating various foods with water in them.

However, most people (admit it, like you) tend to forget to drink water throughout the day and don’t realize that dehydration has hit.

If you are sick, you tend to lose more water or don’t feel like drinking it, causing you to feel even more dehydrated. 

How To Know You Are Dehydrated

Some early symptoms of dehydration are fatigue, dizziness, and headaches. These are early warning signs from your body telling you to drink more water.

Prolonged dehydration can lead to muscle cramps, fainting, confusion, and dry skin.

Left untreated, more severe dangers of dehydration include heat stroke, seizures, and brain damage. 

How to Prevent Dehydration

So now that we know what dehydration is and its symptoms, how do we prevent the dangers of dehydration?

The first and most straightforward way is to understand the signs of dehydration, and as soon as you start to feel them, start drinking water!

Read on to find more tips on how to prevent dehydration.

Switch out water for…

A sports drink! As they replenish your body with necessary electrolytes, sports drinks can come in handy when you are exercising.

Just be sure that they are low-calorie so you are still making your workouts count! (Coconut water is a great option.)

Start Eating!

You can also switch out the water for foods with a high concentration of water, such as melons, grapes, berries, and lettuce.

They’re super helpful to increase your hydration without having you drink all of your daily intake.

Bored with Water?

If you think plain old water is boring to drink, try some carbonated water, or add fruit for some added flavour!

Teas and juices can also help prevent the dangers of dehydration. On the other hand, alcohol will not be helpful, as it dehydrates your body instead, so definitely avoid that when hydrating. 

Can’t remember to drink water?

If this is your #1 issue that keeps you from staying hydrated, have no fear.

Bring a water bottle with you throughout the day to always have easy access to drinking water.

Some water bottles even have reminders to help you get an adequate amount of water every day, leaving no excuse to forget to drink!

Another way to remind yourself to drink water is to drink one glass when you wake up and one glass before you fall asleep.

This can instil the habit of drinking water throughout your day. 

One More Tip

If you’re looking for a hydration reboot, IV treatments can supplement your water intake and rehydrate you.

While you still need to practice other forms of hydration, IV treatments are a fast and convenient way to get and stay hydrated.

Plus, just like drinking water, you can receive treatment while in the comfort of your own home! 

This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.

More Reading:

• These Eight Reasons Will Make You Drink More Water Everyday
• Know these 9 Causes of Internal Body Heat in Women?
• How to Change Your Birth Control from Depo Shot to Other Methods
• The Best 20 Ways to Fit Exercise into Your Daily Routine
• 5 Tips On How You Can Start Living A Healthy Lifestyle

Editing by AskAwayHealth Team

Disclaimer

All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising  Medical Practitioners on a wide range of healthcare conditions to provide evidence-based guidance and to help promote quality healthcare.

The advice in our material is not meant to replace the management of your specific condition by a qualified healthcare practitioner.
To discuss your condition, please contact a health practitioner or reach us directly