Don’t Let Dehydration Drain Your Vibe: Sip, Sip, Hooray!

Ever thought about how much water you’re losing throughout the day? Breathing, sweating, and even answering nature’s call make you lose water constantly. How do you replace it? Drinking water and eating water-rich foods help balance things out. But if you’re not replenishing enough, dehydration sneaks in, leaving your body struggling to run smoothly. Are you keeping up?

When you're dehydrated, your body has less water, which throws off the balance of minerals, nutrients, salts, and sugars. This disruption can affect your body’s normal functions, making it tougher to stay healthy and active. Your body will give you signals when it needs water, with thirst being the first sign. Drinking water even before you feel thirsty or dry helps keep everything running smoothly.

Early signs of dehydration include thirst, a dry or sticky mouth, dark urine, infrequent urination, and headaches. 

Here are some subtle signs of dehydration that may indicate the need for medical attention:

• Bad breath
• Feeling fatigued
• Headaches and muscle cramps
• Craving sweets
• Extreme thirst
• Dizziness when standing up

Acting on these early signs of dehydration is crucial not only for maintaining your health but also for avoiding potential complications. Severe dehydration, which requires more than just a few glasses of water, may show wrinkled or sunken skin, rapid heart rate and breathing, swollen limbs, fainting, fatigue, reduced appetite, confusion, and low blood pressure. But don’t worry — these are extreme cases. Staying hydrated daily will prevent these extreme situations and will help keep your body healthy and happy.

It’s very important to look for signs of dehydration in babies and young children, such as a dry mouth and tongue, tiredness, crying without tears, sunken skin, rapid breathing, and cold, clammy hands and feet. Monitoring diaper output is crucial: fewer than six wet diapers daily in infants or no wet diapers in toddlers for eight hours can indicate dehydration.

Not drinking enough fluids, along with factors like weather, physical exertion, and diet, can lead to dehydration in otherwise healthy adults. Certain health conditions can heighten this risk — fever, frequent vomiting, or diarrhoea can cause dehydration more quickly. Some medications that increase urination can also contribute to fluid loss. Additionally, stress, excessive caffeine intake, and severe skin burns can all lead to dehydration.

Babies, toddlers, and older adults are more prone to dehydration, even with a slight fluid imbalance. People with diabetes, chronic alcoholics, athletes, and those doing heavy labour are also at increased risk. If you're someone who loves the mountains, make sure to pack plenty of fluids. At high altitudes, the air is drier and colder, and combined with physical exertion, you can lose water faster than you might realise.

If your doctor suspects dehydration, they’ll check for physical signs and may recommend additional tests. They will assess your symptoms and test results to determine the severity of dehydration. For mild cases, drinking plenty of fluids with electrolytes may be sufficient. Moderate to severe dehydration might require more intensive hydration treatments, as your doctor advises.

When you’re deeply engrossed in work, it’s easy to overlook your body’s thirst signals. Skipping that water cooler break can do more harm than good. Here are some tips to stay ahead of dehydration and keep your body well-hydrated:

• Invest in a stylish refillable bottle that you enjoy using. Fill it with water and carry it with you.
• To make each sip more refreshing, add a slice of lemon or some chia seeds.
• When you're thirsty, avoid sugary sodas, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks. Remember, water is your best friend.
• Drink a glass of water as soon as you feel thirsty.
• Set phone reminders or schedule regular water breaks to ensure you don’t skip hydration while busy.
• Include water-rich foods in your diet (like cucumbers, watermelons, and tomatoes).
• While participating in sports, try sipping on electrolyte-rich drinks instead of plain water.

You might be dehydrated before you even realise it, especially in hot weather or under physical or mental stress. Some less obvious signs include headaches, dry mouth, muscle cramps and brain fog. Always keep a reusable water bottle handy, and consider carrying oral rehydration sachets in your bag as a precaution. Most importantly, never ignore thirst.

Drinking a substantial amount of fluids mixed with oral rehydration sachets is the quickest way to treat dehydration, often providing relief within minutes.

There are three stages of dehydration as determined by medical professionals:

• Mild dehydration: Drinking fluids with an oral rehydration solution may be sufficient to resolve dehydration at this stage.
• Moderate dehydration: For moderate dehydration, your doctor may administer more intensive hydration as needed.
• Severe dehydration: Unconscious individuals who are unresponsive should be taken to the emergency room for urgent medical attention.

 Here are some easy tips to help you rehydrate:

• Sip water regularly, especially during hot weather or when you're active. If you’re feeling under the weather or exhausted from heat or physical exertion, opt for fluids with electrolytes or an oral rehydration solution (ORS).
• Steer clear of caffeine, alcohol, sugary sodas, and pre-packed juices, as they can further dehydrate you.
• If you’re unwell with diarrhoea, fever, or vomiting, keep sipping on fresh fruit juices, ORS, or lime water to help prevent dehydration.

A simple home remedy for dehydration is to mix one litre of water with  6 level teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. Sipping on this will not only rehydrate you but also give you a refreshing boost.

When dehydrated, avoid sugary foods and drinks, salty and fried snacks, high-protein foods, caffeine, and alcoholic beverages.