Water makes up about two-thirds of your body weight, and a person cannot live without water for more than a few days. Each cell, organ and tissue in the body depends on water. It plays very key roles, for instance:
- It helps maintain the balance of body fluids.
- It regulates and maintains body temperature.
- It lubricates your joints and eyes.
- It protects your tissues, spinal cord and joints.
- It helps your body remove waste products and toxins.
- It aids digestion.
- It helps control calorie intake.
- It helps keep your skin looking good and youthful.
Your body would stop working properly without water. Hence, it is crucial to keep your body hydrated. In order to stay hydrated you should drink fluids and eat foods rich in water content.
At times, more than usual your body may lose water. This can occur because of vigorous physical activity, excessive sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, diabetes and frequent urination.
This is the reason for an electrolyte imbalance in your body, leading to dehydration and making it difficult for your body to function at its best.
Many people are not aware when their body lacks adequate water. If you understand the signs of dehydration, it will help you know when you need to boost your water intake.
Here are the top 10 warning signs that indicate your body lacks water.
- Headaches and lightheadedness
Some of the possible signs that your body lacks water are headaches and lightheadedness. A drop in your body’s hydration level might lead to a reduced amount of fluid surrounding your brain, which protects it from mild bumps and movement.
Furthermore, dehydration decreases the flow of oxygen and blood to the brain.
One recent report published in the Handbook of Clinical Neurology highlights the possible triggers of migraines and tension-type headaches, and dehydration is one of them.
Instead of reaching for a pill when suffering from a headache, drink a glass of water. If the headache is because of dehydration, it will go away soon.
- ‘Brain Fog’ or poor concentration
The human brain definitely shows signs when dehydrated because it is made up of approximately 90 percent water. Lack of water in the brain can influence your decision making, memory and mood.
Dehydration can be the reason for symptoms of brain fog, such as forgetfulness and difficulty focusing, thinking and communicating.
According to a 2013 study published in Clinical Autonomic Research dehydration is one of the most frequently reported brain-fog triggers, along with fatigue, lack of sleep, prolonged standing and feeling faint.
In a 2011 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition it was found that mildly dehydrated people performed worse on cognitive tasks and also reported difficulty making decisions. There were also adverse changes in mood states of fatigue and anxiety.
There is another 2011 study that was published in the Journal of Nutrition. According to this study, it is concluded that degraded mood, increased perception of task difficulty, lower concentration and headache symptoms resulted from a 1.36 percent dehydration in females.