3 UNUSUAL SIGNS THAT MIGHT MEAN YOU'RE DEHYDRATED

The human body is made up of approximately 60% water [2] and if we become dehydrated, it can impact both our physical performance at the gym and our daily lives. 

Exercising is great for sweating out toxins and our overall physical health, but it can mean the recommended average of 8 glasses of water per day (or 2 litres) just isn’t enough which could lead to dehydration. 

Read on for 3 unusual ways your body may be telling you to drink some water and avoid dehydration.

You’re struggling to lose weight

So you’re working out and eating healthily, but your weight loss journey is starting to plateau? If you’re nodding along and can completely relate, then you might be dehydrated. When we drink less water, we tend to compensate by eating more (because our bodies are craving the water content in our food). Water also plays a part in breaking down fat and helps our bodies burn calories efficiently. 

You have bad breath

Dehydration can cause bad breath. When we don’t drink enough water our saliva production slows down and creates the perfect environment for the bacteria that causes bad breath to grow.

You feel moody

As it turns out, our bodies and minds don’t enjoy being deprived of their basic nutrients. The feeling of irritability caused by not drinking enough water can be compared to the dehydrated version of being hangry. Even mild dehydration can make mental tasks seem more difficult and impact our memory function [1]

Staying hydrated is a vital part of your overall wellbeing. If you’ve been a little slack on your 2 litres a day, here are a few tips to get you back on track:

  • Invest in a reusable water bottle that makes drinking water feel fancy.

  • Drink a glass of water before every meal.

  • Make it your mission to drink an entire bottle of water during or after your workout. 

  • If water is too bland for you, add some fruit like lemon or berries to give it a natural flavour.

  • Set reminders to drink water. 

Staying hydrated might come down to changing up our habits (like swapping out that second coffee for a glass of water). So, as you start to redefine these habits and prioritise drinking water remember not to be too hard on yourself if you fall off the wagon. Now that you know some of the unusual signs of dehydration you will quickly be able to get back on track.