We often speak of hydration as the first step to good health, better skin and hair, and even a healthier life. Many of us also have the customary few glasses of water each day. However, we may not see results of all that hydration as soon as we’d like to. In this case, we must stop and consider where all that water is going and what we can do about it. Here are a few very surprising ways by which your body is losing water and what you can do about it.
Ways Your Body Could Be Losing Water
1. Stress Could Cause Dehydration
It does look like we blame stress for everything, doesn’t it? However, its notoriety is well earned. Dehydration, as we know it, is a condition of stress for the body as it has to function under limited resources. This stress, in turn, puts pressure on the body’s endocrine system, causing the release of stress hormones, which further exacerbate the problem of dehydration and make it worse.1
Indeed, dehydration doesn’t have to happen just because you bake in the sun. Even irregular breathing and a workout can cause you to lose excess moisture and feel dehydrated. In warm weather, getting enough water should be your priority. Grab a glass of water every time you get home from the outdoors. Peeing a tad bit more often is also preferable.
2. Alcohol Could Cause Dehydration
That dry mouth following a hangover is a clear indicator of what your body already knows – that alcohol causes dehydration. Ethyl alcohol is, in its native form, harmful to the body. It is processed in the liver to a more manageable byproduct. However, in doing so, the liver takes a hit of toxicity and uses up more water from the surrounding cells.2 If you don’t match up a glass of water for every drink you have, the headache the next day will ensure that you pay for it. There’s no easy way around this except to drink alcohol in moderation.
3. Medication Could Lead To Dehydration
Several ayurvedic preparations cause dryness of the mouth and dehydration. Spirulina that is not purified properly works on the liver just like alcohol, causing dehydration.3 Some medication for tuberculosis and hypertension also causes dehydration due to frequent peeing. If your medication is causing dehydration, discuss with your doctor if you can use another medication instead. If it is a supplement causing the problem, stop immediately.
4. Swimming Could Cause Dehydration
Many water sports, swimming included, cause us to work out just as much as every other sport, except we cannot tell that we are sweating. When we sweat, we lose quite a bit of bodily fluids. This is very noticeable when you sweat it out at the gym, but is much less obvious at a pool or at the beach.
In outdoor settings, the sunlight also contributes to some more loss of water. The characteristic tiredness that follows is not because you are hungry but because your body needs water. Carry a water bottle with you to the pool, and keep sipping frequently. A tall glass of juice can also serve the same purpose.
5. Diabetes Insipidus Can Lead To Dehydration
You’ve heard of diabetes mellitus, which is the presence of excess blood sugar due to a lack of insulin. Diabetes insidious, on the other hand, occurs due to a deficiency of the vasopressin hormone secreted by the hypothalamus.
In this condition, the blood sugar and urine sugar levels are way too low, hence the name “insidious.” Symptoms of the disorder include extreme thirst and frequent urination, so frequent, in fact, that people often have disturbed sleep.4 Medical conditions such as this one cause us to lose more water than we can ever hope to drink. Medical intervention and hormone supplements are required to bring the body condition back into balance.
Now that you know some hidden reasons why you may be feeling dehydrated, looking into all probable causes and find a solution that suits you best.
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