8 Weird Signs You’re Definitely Dehydrated
With 75 percent of Americans falling short of the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation of 10 cups of water per day, there’s a good chance you could be dehydrated without even realizing it, according to celebrity dietitian Isabel Smith. But how do you know if you’re getting enough to drink? Even if you don’t actually feel thirsty, these signs could be your body’s way of telling you that you need more H2O.
1. You’re abnormally hungry.
Sometimes, the body mistakes thirst for hunger. If it’s been more than three hours since you last ate, chances are you’re actually hungry, but if you’re not sure, you can always drink something and see if you still have the urge to eat. “Sometimes I’ll have people try to start with a glass of water if they’ve just eaten and still feel hungry,” says Smith.
2. You’re inexplicably exhausted.
“If the body is depleted of fluids, then it simply cannot function properly. As a result, your energy levels start to decline and you may feel increasingly weak and exhausted during this state of inadequate hydration,” said Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe, M.D., an internist at NYU Langone Medical Center. According to Smith, the tiredness that results from dehydration is “a groggy, hungover feeling.”
3. You’re having trouble losing weight.
Stay with us here: Dehydration can cause you to eat more, and water can help break down fat and burn calories. If you don’t drink enough water, you can end up in a weight-loss plateau, says Smith.
4. Your pee is darker.
As you might expect, your urine tends to be clearer when you’re hydrated, says Dr. Okeke-Igbokwe. A dark yellow or orange-ish color should be a red (or, er, orange) flag.
5. You’re not peeing much at all, actually.
Another sign you’re dehydrated is that you’re not urinating as much as usual, says Dr. Okeke-Igbokwe. After all, not much can come out if you’re not putting much in.
6. You have bad breath.
“When you are dehydrated, the mouth can become extremely dry and salivary production may decrease,” Dr. Okeke-Igbokwe explains. “This can in turn lead to an overgrowth of bacteria in the mouth that creates a very unpleasant odor.”
7. Your skin is less elastic.
Here’s a quick test to see if you’re dehydrated: Pinch the skin on the back of your hand. After you let go, it should snap back to where it was. If it stays up the way you pinched it, you could be dehydrated, according to Dr. Okeke-Igbokwe.
8. You’re cranky and just not totally there.
Dehydration’s impact on the brain can lead to irritability and difficulty focusing, even if you’re only slightly dehydrated. “One may find it more arduous to get through the day and complete routine tasks,” says Dr. Okeke-Igbokwe.
Bottom line: Life is better when you’re hydrated, so keep water nearby at all times. It could seriously improve your life.
Learn more at Glamour
