What Happens To Your Body When You Are Dehydrated?

Have you ever felt brain fog in the afternoon when sitting at your desk? Or been at the gym and just felt like you have no pop? What about dizzy when you get out of bed and stand up? These are just a few of the signs and symptoms that would suggest that you are chronically dehydrated.

Dehydration is a problem that affects over 80% of Australians, no wonder there are so many of us feeling below par on the daily. To help you better recognize if this is you, and more importantly what you can do about it if it is, here is how dehydration affects the different systems in the body. 

The most noticeable system that dehydration affects is the nervous system. It will appear as cognitive impairments such as brain fog, slow reaction times, dizziness and irritability. The cardiovascular system is also affected by the reduced fluid in our body and it will cause increased heart rate and decreased blood pressure which can cause dizziness when moving from laying/sitting to standing. 

A common yet unknown symptom of dehydration is digestion. The lack of fluid in the body can cause constipation and indigestion due to a decrease of gastric juices being produced throughout the intestinal tract. 

Dry skin is also another key sign of dehydration but more pronounced is the lack of elasticity. You can test this by pinching the skin on the back of your hand. If it bounces back quickly, this is a sign of hydration, if not, then you are likely dehydrated. 

The last and not-so-easy-to-spot sign is reduced immunity. Our cells need fluid to work properly and lack of proper hydration can exacerbate illness or even prolong infections. It can also trigger inflammatory responses in the body causing other problems, such as arthritis, to feel worse. 

What can you do to stay on top of this? Follow this simple step-by-step process; 

• Consume at minimum, 35 millilitres of fluid per kilogram body weight per day

• Consume water and electrolytes when you wake up and in the middle of your day

• Keep a water bottle close to you all day so that you have access to water

• If needed, set hydration reminders for every hour so that you drink throughout the day

• Consume high-water foods such as fruit and vegetables at snacks and main meals, these contribute a lot more to your water intake than you realize

Hydration is the easiest thing you can do to get a guaranteed return on your investment and you can see benefits right now. So, go grab your water bottle and get hydrated, future you will thank you for it!