This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Drink Enough Water
Hey guys!
If you know me, you know I am OBSESSED with water. I literally carry around my 64oz POPFLEX bottle with me everywhere I go and I am constantly drinking water! My trick to staying extra hydrated is adding a little hint of flavor with some fruits.
Anyway, the only struggle for me is on the days where I’m super busy with filming or other work stuff, I sometimes don’t get enough water. During my 90 Day Journey, I discovered that I feel A LOT better on the days I’m well-hydrated. But I never really knew why! So I did a little research to see if water was really making such a big difference in how I feel and I learned SO MUCH.
You guys, the science behind this is soooo fascinating.
Shall we discuss?!
How much water do you need?
Okay… so how much water do we actually need?
The easiest rule of thumb is to drink 8, 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Obviously, some people will need more and some will need less. Exercising, living at high altitudes or a hot environment where you’re more likely to sweat, being pregnant or breastfeeding, or being sick can all cause higher fluid needs. So while it’s good to have the “8×8” rule in mind, a lot of experts recommend sipping on water all day, and to keep drinking as long as you’re thirsty.
Getting enough water is important for:
- Regulating your body temperature
- Getting rid of waste
- Lubricating your joints
- Overall taking care of your tissues
If you’re not sure you’re drinking enough, your body can give you a couple of pretty good clues. Thirst is the obvious one. And the second is the color of your pee! Sounds gross but it’s an easy way to check! You want it to be a very pale, almost clear yellow. If it’s darker yellow… go drink!
What happens when you’re dehydrated?
Your body is always losing water… through sweat, pee, etc. If you don’t drink enough to keep your fluid levels up, it’s pretty easy to become dehydrated. And that can cause some problems.
Fatigue – One of the first signs that makes me realize I haven’t had enough water is feeling sleepy!
Headache – If you don’t rehydrate on a hot day or after a hard workout, you’re asking for a headache. When I get a dehydration headache, I know it’s bad!
Moodiness – Tired and cranky? It might be time to hydrate.
Difficulty concentrating – I think the fatigue, moodiness and lack of focus all go hand-in-hand. Basically, if you’re feeling these things, grab some water!
Hunger and cravings – If you’re feeling snacky, your body might actually be asking for some water. Being dehydrated can cause cravings too – especially sweets!
Bloating – I IMMEDIATELY reach for water if I notice I’m bloated. It will help to get things “moving,” if you know what I mean 😉
Constipation – Water gets things moving in your intestines. Without enough, everything will slow down!
Dry skin – “Dehydrated” skin looks dull and can be flakey. Drink up if you want dewy, youthful skin.
Tricks to stay hydrated
If you don’t love drinking water, or you literally just forget to drink throughout the day (sounds weird but so easy to do when you’re busy!), you can try some things to set yourself up for hydration success! Here are some of my favorite ways to make sure I’m drinking enough water.
- Get yourself a big water bottle – And keep it on you at all times.
- Use fruit for flavor – If water is bleh, add some flavor! Sliced lemon, lime, berries, or cucumber for light, add a really refreshing taste.
- Set “checkpoints” throughout your day – Break up your day with water breaks. Every time you eat, take a bathroom break, etc., drink a glass! You could even set alarms during the day to get yourself into the habit.
- Make sure you have water with your meals – And “drinks” don’t count!
- Use technology – Download an app or invest in a smart water bottle to track your water intake
Eating foods with high water content helps you stay hydrated too!
Yes! Food can help you hydrate! Some foods with high water content include cucumber, celery, zucchini, watermelon and grapefruit.
Things that contribute to dehydration
There are some things you could be eating and drinking that are actually sabotaging your efforts to stay hydrated! Things like…
Caffeine – Coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks won’t exactly quench your thirst. Try to drink some water before you go for the caffeine.
Salty Foods – Eating too much sodium can pull water from your cells, making you dehydrated.
Sugary Foods and Drinks – Excess sugar actually pulls more water from your tissues, leading to dehydration.
Alcohol – Alcohol is suuuuper dehydrating, which is one reason you get a hangover if you drink too much. If you want to have a few drinks, just try to drink water in between.
Final Thoughts
Water is a big part of your overall health. If you don’t drink enough, chances are you’re going to feel the effects. If you’re feeling tired, moody, have dry skin, or other signs of dehydration, make it a priority to drink more water throughout the day!
Do you have any good tips or tricks that help with drinking more water?! Tell me in the comments!
19 thoughts on “This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Drink Enough Water”
There are 19 comments posted by our users.
I put in a 1 liter bottle fresh boiled ginger and a squeeze of lemon
Must try out this product it helps with moms and people who have a hard time loosing weight
Here are few tricks for some of you:
1) place your phone under the bottle
2) buy a clear water bottle and label times
3) add some lime instead os lemon as lemon damages your teeth (lime actually doesn’t!)
4) Spice it up with some turmeric, or rose water, or even mocha powder!
Good luck staying hydrated!
I put a splash of lemon juice in my water. I also try to drink one 8-ounce glass of cold water first thing in the morning before I have breakfast or coffee.
love a splash of lemon!
No more than half a cup of water before a meal (not with). Having water during eating dilutes your stomach acid which can actually cause other issues (including yes, constipation from improper protein breakdown.
One other thing to emphasize is that enough water is only half of the hydration equation–I get a lot of clients who don’t understand why they are still dehydrated when they drink “plenty of water!” You need to have adequate electrolyte intake as well. Do NOT skip this! Every cell in your body needs this to survive. If you cut the salts (read: the family of salts, ie: electrolytes, not just plain “sodium”) you are guaranteed to gave problems with metabolism, hormones, immune, energy, etc.
This is so true! In a regular day it’s fine but if you’re sweating hard and drinking litres of water to replace what you’ve lost, you’re just going to pee it all out while your body tries to retain it’s precious salts. It’s especially important if you’re not eating like if you’re out hiking or travelling, or on a restricted diet.
I set my timer alarm for one hour…..I drink 8 oz of water, then reset timer again for one hour. Keeps me on track.
Hi Casey,
Please share your infused water recipes!
For me, I find it easier to drink water heated up in a mug. I don’t know if it is psychological (like feeling comfort when thinking of holding a warm mug of coffee or hot cocoa on a cold day) or if there is some physical reason behind it, but hopefully this tip helps others:)
Thank you for this post, Cassey. My body has been telling me it needs more water, but it is just so hard to be consistent. Thank you for the tips to build drinking water into a habit.
Sadly I go to the bathroom like 15 times a day when I don’t drink water (yes I’m going to the doctor for that and other reasons) but if I drink a lot of water, man I go like 20 times or more during the day. If I could drink water I would :/ But I’ll try drinking more anyway because that might explain my headaches.
Water is so good for activating your metabolism! I drink 2 glasses of water before each meal and it really helps
Very interesting, thanks for sharing!
Can you please list off the contents of the different jars of fruit infused water? They look so good I want to try them.
I love this! Water is so essential, it can change my energy levels so much! I especially find it helpful to drink a couple cups first thing in the morning.
If I drink too much water, I end up having to go the bathroom frequently through out the day. I find this annoying.
i also have the same problem
That happens to me too, but I try to take advantage of the opportunity to get up from my desk and move around.