Signs of dehydration aren’t always as obvious as you think. Did you know that the moment you start to feel thirsty isn’t your body’s first sign of dehydration? Yep, follow these signs of dehydration and why you need to stay hydrated this summer.
Signs of Dehydration and Staying Hydrated this Summer
The Many Ways That Drinking Water Affects the Skin and Body
We have all heard about the benefits of drinking water, and lots of it, for weight loss and dieting purposes. However, it is just as essential to your skin, hair, and body to drink water in order to maintain good health – especially during the summer months. You should start drinking water long before you start to have a thirst.
One of the biggest benefits of drinking water during summer months is to stay hydrated. Staying hydrated benefits not only your organs but your skin as well.
The old saying that beauty is only skin deep does not apply when drinking the right amount of water. Drinking the right amount of water helps your body in many ways.
Get Rid of Dark Under-Eye Circles by Hydrating
Sometimes dark under-eye circles are truly from lack of a good night’s sleep or perhaps because of genetics. However, dark under-eye circles are sometimes caused by lack of hydration.
Taking in more water throughout the day may possibly reduce those puffy dark circles. If your body is in need of more water, then it will hold onto whatever it has for storage purposes. By drinking more, you can alleviate puffiness around the eye area.
Color, Tone, and Texture of Skin Can Tell You if You Need More Water
Take a good, long, hard look at your skin on days when you do not have good color, tone, and texture. Keep a journal if you like, as this will help you to see first-hand the benefits of drinking additional water in the summertime.
When you spend time in the hot summer sun, you will notice that your skin will appear dryer, no matter what you do or how many cosmetics you place on your face. The best moisturizer is water.
Acne
Is it not better to treat your skin properly from the outset than to purchase many expensive acne treatments, which could only wind up drying your skin out over time! By drinking extra water in the summertime, you provide a natural cleanser to your skin and its pores. Water serves as a cleanser and an exfoliator and acne preventer.
Dryness and Peeling
If you are like anyone else, you have had the experience of staying out in the sun too long and being burned – especially on the facial areas. By drinking extra water, you provide a natural barrier for skin so that it is hydrated and moist. Dryness and peeling will heal that much faster the more water you take in. In addition, make sure that you ALWAYS put on a high SPF sunscreen whenever you plan on going outside to protect your skin.
Swelling
If you ever notice swelling in your fingers or feet then you need to start hydrating ASAP. Many years ago….long before kids, years before Hubs….way back during my early 20’s a few friends and I took a trip to Las Vegas. Now, being from the south I’m used to hot weather and the importance of staying hydrated…heck, the humidity we get down here makes you guzzle water constantly. But Vegas is a different kind of heat…at least when we visited…it’s a dry heat so you don’t feel it the same way. Well, we were walking down the strip and I turned to my friend and said “Look at my fingers, I can barely close my fist”. As my friend started to respond, a police officer who was standing next to us, turned to me and instructed me to come with him right away. He ushered us inside the lobby to one of the hotels and had us sit down at the bar while he flagged down a bartender and told her to bring me water immediately. He explained to me that I was dehydrated and the swelling in my hands was an indicator of possible heat stroke. He told me to sit there and drink at least 2 more glasses of water before leaving so that I could rehydrate.
Ever since that incident I always listen to my body and follow the cues when I start to notice that my body needs hydration.
Since the body is made up of more than 70% water, it stands to reason that it needs water in order to survive and thrive, most especially in the summertime.
Tips for Staying Hydrated
I love the app Plant Nanny. It’s a free app that helps you keep track of how much water you drink each day. Basically, every time you drink a glass of water you give your plant a glass of water and watch it grow….but, if you don’t drink enough water then your little plant shrivels up and can even die. It’s a cute way to keep track of your water consumption, play a little game, and grow yourself a virtual garden all at the same time.
Believe it or not, the BEST way that I’ve found to hit my water intake goal every single day is by getting a special water bottle. I mean, it’s not like a magic water bottle, but it’s MY water bottle….that’s saying a lot that something is just mine when I have 2 little ones climbing all over me every day. Plus, I love that it has a place where you put fruit to infuse into the water….there’s no problem hitting my water intake when it tastes so delicious!
Eat foods that have a high water content. Have you ever noticed a craving for melons during the summer months? It’s your body’s way of getting extra water…plus, melons are packed full of other nutrients…seriously, I wrote a whole series on it. Check out Health Benefits of Watermelon, Interesting Facts About Watermelon, and the Benefits of Cantaloupe.
Not a fan of melons? There are tons of other fruits high in water content like oranges, nectarines, grapes, apples…anything that you would consider juicy.
Now that you know what to look for as signs of dehydration and how to combat it by staying hydrated it’s time to have an amazing summer!