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A task as simple as drinking water is found unexpectedly difficult by some people, not to mention staying properly hydrated.
It is easy to forget to hydrate as daily life tends to be busy until symptoms of dehydration arise. Moreover, the accessibility of caffeine and its benefits plays a huge role in overshadowing the importance of drinking water.
According to the Mayo Clinic adult women should consume approximately 2.7 litres of fluid daily and men should consume 3.7 litres, and while food (fruit, soup, veggies, etc.) can account for roughly 20% of those totals, relatively few people do reach such high proportions.
Here are 5 signs that you are not drinking enough water:
Headaches and Dizziness
“Headache and dizziness can be caused by reduced blood volume due to dehydration, which means that our brain is no longer well supplied with blood and nutrients,” according to Dr. Lela Ahlemann, a specialist in dermatology, proctology, and nutritional medicine who further suggests that you should see a doctor if you are frequently feeling dizzy.
Fatigue and concentration issues
According to the doctor mentioned above, these 2 symptoms can be caused by a lack of fluids and are due to the decreased blood volume, which indicates that our brain is not receiving enough blood.
Dry skin and lips
Dehydration is commonly indicated by dry lips and skin. You can take a quick self-test to see whether you can relate to this by pulling up the skin on the back of your hand and pinching it between two fingers. It is an indication of dehydration if it takes a while to return to its previous state, the specialist explains.
Dark-colored urine
According to the health publication Healthline, you won’t urinate as much, and your urine will have a darker colour if you’re not getting enough fluids.
Heart palpitations
The health hub also states that heart palpitations or the feeling that your heart is thumping, fluttering, or beating irregularly, can be brought on by dehydration.