There is not much more refreshing in this world than a tall, cold glass of water. I don’t think there is anyone alive who can deny that sometimes a simple glass of water can be more satisfying than a cup of coffee or a can of soda.
Despite this, many of us do not drink enough water daily. By depriving ourselves of the world’s most natural resources, we continually damage our bodies. If you recognize any of the following signs on your own, we recommend that you drink a glass of H2O immediately.
1. Your Mouth Is Dry
This seems pretty obvious, but the ramifications may not be. Of course, every time you feel that sticky and unpleasant sensation in your mouth, you will obviously get some kind of liquid.
But sugary drinks are only a temporary solution to a bigger problem. Drinking water lubricates the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat, which will continue to keep the mouth moist with saliva for a long time after the first sip.
2. Your Skin Is Dry
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so you need to stay hydrated. In fact, dry skin is one of the first signs of total dehydration, which can lead to much bigger problems.
Lack of water means a lack of sweat, leading to the body’s inability to remove excess dirt and oil accumulated during the day. If you want to avoid outbreaks, your first resource should be to drink more water.
3. You Are Very Thirsty
We have already talked about dry mouth, but thirst goes beyond a desert-like tongue. Anyone who has had a hangover can say that when you wake up, your body cannot get enough water.
Alcohol dehydrates the entire body and drinking water sends ‘YES, PLEASE!’ It stops the brain until its fluid levels return to baseline. Listen to what your body tells you; you know what you’re talking about!
4. Your Eyes Are Dry
At this point, it should be clear that drinking water affects more than just the mouth and throat. Lack of water leads to dry, bloodshot eyes (again, think about the last strong hangover).
With no water in the body, its tear ducts dry up. If you are thinking “So what if I can’t cry?” Know that it can cause a lot more damage to your eyes, especially if you use contacts on a daily basis.
5. You Experience Joint Pain
Our cartilage and spinal discs are made of approximately 80% water. It is an absolute necessity to prevent our bones from crumbling with each other with every step we take.
By keeping your body hydrated, you ensure that your joints can absorb the impact of sudden movements, such as running, jumping, or falling awkwardly.
6. Your Muscle Mass Decreases
Your muscles are also made up primarily of water. Obviously, less water in the body means less muscle mass. Drinking water before, during, and after training not only keeps you hydrated and comfortable, it also brings the water to the right places on your body and decreases the chance of developing inflammation and pain related to exercise and weight lifting.
7. You Stay Sick Longer
Drinking water allows your body to continuously release toxins. Your organs work to filter certain wastes like a machine, but if you don’t supply water to the machine, it won’t work properly.
What ends up happening in a dehydrated body is that the organs begin to draw water from stored areas like blood, leading to a whole new set of problems.
8. You Feel Fatigued And Lethargic
As we just mentioned, when a body becomes dehydrated, it “borrows” water from its blood. Lack of properly hydrated blood leads to a lack of oxygen throughout the body.
Obviously, a lack of oxygen leads to sleepiness and outright fatigue. Lack of stamina means that you will start to experience that 2 pm crash earlier and earlier in your day (and remember that coffee will not help in the long term).
9. You Experience Hunger Pangs
When you are dehydrated, your body may begin to think that it needs food. This happens throughout the day and at night when you wake up wanting that midnight snack.
However, eating food creates more work for your body, while drinking water purifies your organs and provides the fuel necessary to go through the other processes the body goes through.
10. You Experience Digestive Problems
We talked earlier about mucus in the mouth and throat and how staying hydrated allows the membrane to work properly. This also applies to the entire digestive system.
Without adequate hydration, the amount and strength of mucus in the stomach decrease, allowing gastric acid to cause significant damage to your insides. This leads to what we generally call heartburn and indigestion.
11. You’re Reading This And Have Gotten This Far
I drink water all the time. I almost always have a glass or bottle of water by my side, whether it’s working, exercising, or vegging out in front of the TV. If you clicked on this article, you probably think, “Hmm, I don’t think I drink enough water.”
So if you don’t believe it, have a drink now! Don’t overdo it, of course, but if you don’t get the recommended amount (higher than you think), there’s nothing wrong with drinking more. Now, excuse me, all that writing made me thirsty.
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