What happens when you don't drink enough water?
We all know that it is incredibly important to get enough fluids in the day. Yet, this is not always easy. Especially when the temperatures rise outside, it is essential to drink enough, because if you don't, you can develop quite a few health issues.
The water in our body is the transport medium of all nutrients, it allows it to excrete waste products and it regulates body temperature. Exactly how much fluid you need depends on age, temperature, exercise, eating and health status. In this article, we explain what happens when you don't drink enough water.
What can happen to your body if you don't drink enough? We've listed the consequences for you.
Slower metabolism
In the book The Water Secret, Dr. Howard Murad states that your metabolism does not work properly if you do not drink enough water. Especially the basal metabolism (the burning of calories without moving) works much faster and better if you take in enough water. So when you are in the process of losing weight, drinking enough water is really essential. Drinking water alone will not help you lose weight faster. It only works if you combine it with good food, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
You get headaches
The hypothalamus is a gland in the brain that signals when you are dehydrating. It signals when the blood is becoming less watery and makes you feel thirsty. That is why, for example, you have such a headache when you are hungover. Because your body is dehydrated by the alcohol. Your brain also has to work harder when you are dehydrated. Tip: Always have a bottle of water with you. That way you know immediately how much you drink per day.
Mood
Dehydration not only affects the body, it can also put you in a bad mood, according to a Tuft University study. Students were asked to exercise intensively for 60 to 75 minutes. One group was allowed to drink water during the exercise session; the rest were not. The second group was found to be more quickly tired, ill-tempered, tense and negative.
Skin
Your skin is the perfect gauge to see if your body is hydrated enough. All the anti-aging creams combined can't beat the effect of drinking enough water on your skin. If you consistently drink too little water, not only will your skin lose its radiance, but you will also develop wrinkles faster. Another reason to grab an extra glass of water.
Overheated
Your body maintains a consistent body temperature through water. When we overheat, we start to sweat. Sweat is just water you lose. We need to make sure we replenish that water, if you don't replenish it then your body temperature will rise. This can make you feel weak and dizzy.
Cramped muscles
When you suffer from fluid deficiency, your balance is affected. Too little fluid in turn causes low levels of sodium and potassium which in turn causes sore muscles and unexpected spastic cramps. Cramps in leg, calf, neck, foot or arm are in many cases caused by poor internal hydration or fluid balance.
You eat more
Several studies also state that one or two glasses of water before a meal help you feel satiated faster, which would cause you to eat less.
Your brain shrinks!
This isn't actually as dramatic as it sounds, but still: Scientists have discovered that your brain shrinks when you don't drink enough. When you don't drink enough water, your body dehydrates and the size of your brain shrinks. Fortunately, this is a reversible process and your brain simply regains its normal size when you are sufficiently hydrated.
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