6 Serious Signs You're Not Drinking Enough Water

Its summer, it’s hot, it’s humid, and you need to conserve all your energy to be healthy. Your body is amazing. It provides you with clear signs that you are suffering, but do we listen to it?

We all know the facts, our body is made up of 70% water, we need water to essentially survive, not drinking enough water may lead to sever dehydration. However, do you these facts:

• More than half the world’s population suffers from dehydration
• Of all the water on earth, only 1.1 % is suitable for drinking without treatment
• Water helps your body metabolize fats better, and with meals helps with digestion
• When you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
• An estimate of 65% of school children drink very little water and suffer from constant dehydration
• A 2% reduction of water levels in the body can lead to a 20% decrease in mental and physical performance

If you feel your body is trying to tell you something, then you should see a doctor immediately after drinking a glass of water. Book with some of Qatar’s best doctors here!

Here are some warning signs that your body is begging you for more water. Pay attention for some of these signs. If you suffer from them, call your doctor immediately, or book an appointment with a consultant here.

Risk of Heart Attack

Not drinking enough water makes your body lose a lot more than hydration. Did you know that you could increase your risk of heart attack or stroke? Dehydration on the inside of your body can lead to narrow blood vessels, blood clots, and high blood pressure. The high blood pressure will cause you to feel irritated easily and can increase your heart rate. This can then cause risk of stroke or heart attack. If you don’t drink enough for your body, your blood loses 8% of its water.

Lower Immunity

Water can be lost from 66% of your cells, which can lead to loss of oxygen and antibodies that help fight infections. When you suffer from dehydration, your muscles mass decreases, as it is mostly made up of water. Drinking enough decreases your chances of developing inflammation and soreness related to exercise. Flushing out toxins and excess dirt is what water does, but when your organs don’t have enough water to flush these toxins out, they absorb water from other areas of storage like the blood. This can lead to other issues including tiredness and lack of oxygen causes headaches, blood sugar crashes, and fatigue.

Joint Pain

Increased acidity levels, gout, kidney stones, and brittle bones are all signs your body is missing water. Up to 26% of water from your intercellular space can be lost if you are suffering from severe dehydration. Your cartilage and spinal discs are made up of about 80% water. This means that your body is not being lubricated by water and so you suffer from more bruising, more bone breaks, and higher probability of injury or joint pain.

Accelerated Aging

As you grow older, your body starts losing its retention of water. This leads to sagging of the skin on the outside, and heart problems on the inside. Having strong oxygen levels and regular blood flow helps maintain a youthful appearance. Read more about this from our beauty expert Dr. Iman Al Haj. Your skin not only requires lots of hydration but so do your organs. If you don’t drink enough your muscles will also be affected and you will lose muscle mass and important cartilage. Dry skin can also cause lots of irritation. This can lead to faster aging and can affect the outer appearance of wrinkles, lines, and frowns.

Dryness of skin

Lubricating the mucous membranes in your mouth and throat helps in keeping your mouth hydrated. Dry mouth can be a clear sign that you are dehydrated, along with bad breath, and difficulty swallowing saliva. Dry skin is the biggest sign that your body is dehydrated. Not having enough water in your body means that your largest organs dry up. This can also be dangerous if you do not experience sweating when it is hot, this mean that your body is unable to wash away excess dirt. If you suffer from red dry eyes, then you should drink more water. Without it, your tear ducts dry up causing harm to your eyes. If the condition worsens, then see a doctor immediately, especially if you wear lenses or glasses.

Sudden Hunger

Of course, we know that when our body is thirsty or requires more water, it might give a sensation that we are also hungry. Research has shown multiple times that the body gives out a signal for nutrients but what needs to be done first is drink a glass of water and wait to see if all you needed was a drink and not a meal, especially if you had just eaten. (read more about this here!) Eating more can cause indigestion if you are suffer