Here are some signs of the first stage of dehydration:
- thirst
- dry lips and mouth
- fatigue
- headache
- flushed skin
- irritability
- urine that is darker than a very pale yellow
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the biggest thing missing for someone who’s dehydrated is water. Now here’s the thing, nearly everyone I talk to thinks they drink enough water. But, like many other things, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.
So I always recommend that you get yourself a large clear container (1 gallon would be great) and fill it up in the morning. The game is that you have to drink all the water before going to bed. If you don’t, whatever is left over at bedtime has to be consumed immediately. After a couple of trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night, you’ll get the idea and develop the habit of finishing the container earlier.
That said, the lack of proper hydration will throw off your body’s minerals – or electrolyte balance. That’s why athletes that are dehydrated suffer from cramps, chills and sometimes even hallucinations. It’s not something to mess with. I was a runner in high school and I learned the hard way about drinking enough water when I passed out at the finish line of a long race. If it wasn’t for an observant coach, who knows where I’d be today.
Anyway, water, water, water!! Oh, and some people think that sports drinks are just as good for them, but I’ve seen plenty of dehydrated athletes after consuming bottles of sports drinks. I’m not for them at all. People need water. Your body’s looking for water and I think you’ll find that drinking more will make all the difference in the world.
