Did you know that a study performed on over 3,000 people inside the United Stated, showed that 75% of people were suffering from mild to chronic dehydration?
Most of the liquids consumed by people were actually ones that couldn’t contribute to the body’s 60% water composition, like alcohol or beverages that contained caffeine.
However, the most present problem was that people wouldn’t even try to consume the recommended daily amount of water to keep themselves hydrated, and one of the most common reasons for this is just because most of us forget to do so.
This is a very big problem, considering how dehydration can cause a lot of health problems. Not only that but drinking enough daily water can improve several physiological functions of our body, which in return can grant us a lot of energy and reduce the risks of suffering from some of the health problems I mentioned earlier.
Problems Caused by Dehydration
Normally, as the day goes on, we lose some of the fluids composing our bodies, either by sweating, breathing, and going to the bathroom. With that being said, these fluids can still be refilled thanks to drinking water or eating food that contains high levels of liquid.
There are occasions in where, if ignored for too long, we can suffer from severe dehydration, which needs to be treated as soon as possible. Mild dehydration, however, can be dealt with by increasing fluid intake and is not as urgent as severe dehydration.
Believe it or not, we can actually survive a lot of time without eating food. There are archives of people who have willingly stopped eating and died after 40 to 60 days, but it is very different when it comes to liquid.
It is well known, however, that we can’t last more than 3 days without drinking water due to our body’s composition. Still, there are occasions in where someone might last more depending on their metabolism and body structure, but it is very difficult to last more than a week without consuming fluids.
When you are mildly dehydrated, some of the most common symptoms include:
- Dry mouth
- Lack of energy
- An overall feeling of weakness
- Headaches
- Dizzyness
- Tiredness even after sleeping
When you are suffering from a severe case of dehydration, you might suffer from worse versions of the previous symptoms, as well as:
- A lack of sweat
- Dried skin
- Blood pressure problems
- Fever
- Delirium
- Loss of consciousness
There are certain diseases and physical complications that can increase the likelihood of suffering from dehydration, due to the way they make us spend more of our body fluids.
Some of them include vomiting, diarrhea, and burns. Things like diabetes and excessive sweating are also included in the bunch.
Even so, most people actually get dehydrated because of a lack of fluid intake, thus, engaging in lifestyle changes is the best solution for this problem.
The Magic of having a Routine
The easiest way to increase fluid intake is by creating a sort of routine that will stick with us for the longest time. This requires discipline and a little creativity since routines are known for being difficult to deal with for most people.
Still, thanks to the simplicity of the problem and how easy it is to obtain water nowadays, a routine involving drinking more water is not that big of a deal. Perhaps knowing more about the benefits of doing it might motivate some people to do it, so I’m going to discuss one reason for why you should drink more water.
If you end up being even more interested in these benefits, you should check the article https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water#1.-Helps-maximize-physical-performance.
It Improves Physical Performance
As I briefly mentioned at the beginning of the article, drinking more water can improve our physical capabilities to a certain extend. The most important aspects being a hydrated influence, though, is energy levels and brain function.
Have you ever suffered from brain fog during the course of the day? Is this brain fog more common as you wake up? Well, although there are many other things causing this problem, being dehydrated is possibly one of them.
This is because, when we wake up, we suffer from a mild case of dehydration, and if we were already dehydrated to some point, it only worsens this condition.
It also makes it so we feel a lack of energy and focusing or finding the motivation to do things becomes harder. Drinking enough water might help you fight this problem.
Another aspect to consider is that, by drinking more water, workouts and exercises will be more efficient, providing more benefits for less effort.
What You Can Do to Consume More Fluids
I can’t blame you if you don’t like the idea of drinking water. Over the last couple of years, I’ve met a lot of people that disliked the idea of drinking it just because they hated its taste, which was very surprising for me, considering how much I like to drink water throughout the day.
That’s why I came with a solution. Well, sort of. When it comes to fighting dehydration, it is not that you have to strictly consume H2O. Anything that increases your fluid intake works fine! As I mentioned this idea to one of my friends, she immediately got an Amazon Lively Infinitely infuser water bottle to make the taste of water much better while also adding the benefits of infused water.
I, for example, tend to eat a lot of fruit, and watermelon is among my favorite fruits. This fruit is well known for being probably the greatest fruit you can consume to fight dehydration, just because of how much fluid it has. Considering that more than 90% of its composition is made out of the water, it is to no surprise.
There are also people who prefer to drink a lot of juice, and this has a lot of benefits as well, but might not be a good idea for those who are on diet considering the amount of sugar involved in the process of making these juices.
Still, as my friend did, water infusions can be a solution to this. Of course, they might not be as tasteful as a juice, but they can still add a lot of personality to a drink, and for some, it is always better than drinking a plain H2O cup.
Ideally, you should create a routine that makes the whole process much easier. Since I work from home, I always have a bottle near me that is able to contain 1 liter of water, and I usually drink from one to one and a half a bottle per day.
Another way to approach the process is by using alarms to help you remember to drink at certain time intervals. This will help you not to forget and eventually becomes a routine for you.
