Even the best of us forget to drink enough water occasionally. But if you’re sleeping, exercising, and still feeling like you’re rarely at 100%, it may be time to look at your how much water you are (or aren’t) drinking. Here are some problems that could be caused by dehydration:
- Your breath is nasty—and it’s not coffee breath. When you’re fully hydrated, your body’s saliva helps kill bacteria in your mouth. But when you slack on your water intake, your saliva levels decrease and the bacteria in your mouth can thrive.
- Your muscles are cramping constantly. This can happen especially if you’re not hydrating enough after an intense workout. As your body temperature gets hotter, your muscles work harder, and if you’re not replacing those fluids, you’ll be cramping before you know it. Always keep a water bottle on hand when you’re exercising, or hydrate adequately before and after..
- You’re craving sugar, and you don’t know why. When you’re dehydrated, it’s harder for your body to produce glycogen, so your body begins to crave sugar to make up for it. If you want to both rehydrate and sate your sugar craving, eat a sweet snack with a high water content, like a fruit or yogurt.
- You get headaches. The blood vessels in your brain react very quickly to low hydration levels, which could catalyze a headache or migraine. Dehydration can also drastically change your serotonin levels, which can cause a headache. It’s worth trying to drink some water or eat a high water content snack if you have an unexplained headache.
- You really feel that three o’clock slump. If you find yourself hitting a wall in the middle of the day, it could be because you haven’t been hydrating. Dehydration can cause heart rate increases, lowered blood pressure, and slower blood flow to the brain.
- Your workout is much harder than usual. One expert said that “A 2% dehydration level in your body causes a 10% decrease in athletic performance.” That dehydration can really add up, and soon your normal workout feels much harder than usual.
So if you’re looking for a cause for all of your day-to-day difficulties, look no further than that full water bottle on your desk. If you can, always keep a (hopefully reusable!) water bottle on hand, so you’re less likely to fall prey to the effects of dehydration.
