Your body is always sending out distress signals when you are dehydrated. Learn to listen and respond promptly by developing a habit of drinking water regularly.

Have you had enough water today? Do you find yourself sometimes drinking more coffee than water? On hot days, even when standing still, your body is silently sweating, signaling that you need to pay more attention to signs of dehydration. Don’t ignore these signs, because ignoring them can lead to serious health problems. Our bodies are made up of about 70% water, and every day you lose up to 2.5 liters of water through feces, urine, sweat, and even with every breath. If you don&#39;t drink enough water on a regular basis, what will happen? Not only does dehydration seriously affect your internal organs, it also makes you tired, makes it difficult to concentrate, and disrupts your daily routine. Even your appearance is negatively affected, such as your skin losing its elasticity, your figure looking less radiant, and the risk of weight gain also &quot;visits&quot;.

How much water does your body need each day?

It turns out that the oft-cited eight-glass-a-day rule has no scientific basis. It’s an approximation, not an absolute. The actual amount of water you need each day depends on a number of factors, including age, weight, height, level of physical activity, and health conditions, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, or kidney and heart disease. In addition, the climate and altitude where you live or work also significantly affect your body’s water needs. How do you know how much water you need each day? “Based on the Dietary Reference Intakes, adult women should consume a total of about 2.7 liters of water per day, while the number for men is 3.7 liters,” says Dr. Panitz. If you want to get more specific about your individual needs, a simple formula is to take your body weight (in pounds) and divide it by two. The result is the amount of water you need (in ounces) to maintain a minimum level of fluid intake, such as on sedentary days.

What causes dehydration?

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than you take in through drinks or foods that provide water. These fluids are lost every day through seemingly normal activities like going to the bathroom, sweating, talking, or even simply breathing through your mouth while sleeping. Additionally, some medications can increase your risk of dehydration, so be sure to check the side effects of any medication you take. Not only that, but everyday habits can also be the cause of dehydration. Caffeine, alcohol, and intense exercise without replacing lost fluids are common reasons for dehydration.

Signs that you are not drinking enough water

Lela Ahlemann, a German nutritionist and dermatologist, suggests seven easily recognizable signs of dehydration.
<ol style="text-align: justify;">
<li> Dry mouth and thirst</li>
</ol>
This is the most obvious sign of dehydration. Thirst occurs when the body's water content drops by just 2%. "Dry mouth is not only uncomfortable, but it also weakens the immune defenses in the mouth, making you more susceptible to infection," explains Lela Ahlemann.
If you find drinking water difficult, start with something as simple as rinsing your mouth to encourage your body to take in water more naturally.
<ol start="2" style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Little or dark yellow urine</li>
</ol>
The colour of your urine is one of the most obvious indicators of dehydration. When your body is not getting enough water, your urine becomes concentrated and turns dark yellow. If you haven't taken your vitamins and your urine is still dark, it could be a sign that you need to hydrate more quickly.
<ol start="3" style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Frequent headaches and dizziness</li>
</ol>
Have you ever noticed that when you have a headache, drinking water helps relieve the symptoms? That&rsquo;s because dehydration can reduce blood flow and oxygen to the brain, causing dull pain or a feeling of lightheadedness.

<ol start="4"><li style="text-align: justify;">Persistent fatigue and difficulty concentrating</li></ol> If you wake up from a good night&#39;s sleep feeling tired and sluggish, you may be dehydrated. When you&#39;re thirsty, your metabolism slows down, leading to fatigue and a decreased ability to concentrate.<ol start="5" style="text-align: justify;"><li> Dry, lifeless skin</li></ol> Lela Ahlemann shares a super simple tip for checking for dehydration: use two fingers to gently pinch the skin on the back of your hand and pull it up. If the skin is slow to return to its original state, it is a clear sign that your skin is seriously dehydrated. Additionally, if your skin is dry, itchy, or unusually pale, your body is most likely “thirsty.”<ol start="6" style="text-align: justify;"><li> Dark circles under eyes getting darker</li></ol> When your body is dehydrated, your blood becomes thicker, making blood vessels more visible, especially in the thin skin under your eyes. As a result, dark circles become darker and wrinkles around your eyes become more visible, even if you&#39;ve had enough sleep.<ol start="7" style="text-align: justify;"><li> Constipation</li></ol> When the body lacks water, the intestines will “take advantage” of the remaining water in the stool, causing the stool to become dry and hard. This not only makes it difficult to excrete but also leads to persistent constipation.

How to replenish the lack of water?

For those who do not have health problems or are not taking medications that affect hydration, the simplest thing to do is drink water when you feel thirsty. In addition to plain water, you can get creative by adding fruits or vegetables such as cucumbers, lemons, mint leaves, limes or raspberries to create delicious, healthy flavors.
Even foods that seem unrelated to hydration, like bread, chicken, or cheese, still contain some water, contributing significantly to your total fluid intake during the day.
Caffeinated drinks were previously thought to be dehydrating due to their diuretic effect, but studies have shown that they actually contribute to the total amount of fluid your body absorbs. This means that you can definitely count your morning cup of coffee towards your daily water needs &ndash; the fluid from both the coffee and the milk will counterbalance the diuretic effect. But be mindful of your intake, because when it comes to optimal hydration, pure water (H₂O) is still the best choice!
Photos: @milenabessonova, @anjawk, @jasminsarakatariina, @anne_lauer, @elinwarn, @mecahwirht,

7 signs of dehydration according to nutrition experts

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