What is Dehydration?
The body loses water through sweat, urine, and bowel movements. Dehydration is when the body loses more fluid than it takes in and the body’s water levels drop. Dehydration can occur from not drinking enough fluid or not urinating enough. The amount of water that should be taken in or urinated is called the “daily requirement”.
The daily requirement of water depends on whether a person is exercising or not, a person’s size, activity levels and environmental conditions. A person usually stays well-hydrated by taking in enough fluids. It’s hard to know whether your body can meet its requirements without knowing how much fluid you take in.
The easiest way to tell if a person is well-hydrated is to check for physical signs that show dehydration could be present. These physical signs of dehydration are based on the Mayo Clinic’s research.
What are the Causes of Dehydration?
Dehydration usually happens when you are sick with vomiting and diarrhea, or when you’ve been in the sun for long time. It’s more common in children, elderly, and athletes.
As you are sweating, you are essentially losing water. Though sweat helps to cool off the body temperature, if the sweat isn’t replenished, dehydration can occur.
Being physically active leads to increased perspiration that is accompanied by a substantial amount of water and electrolytes losses, which can cause dehydration to occur. Athletes such as runners, cyclists, weight trainers, and others who perform with a high-intensity level are susceptible to dehydration. Dehydration can also happen due to a fever, vomiting or diarrhea.
People who live in hot or arid regions are more prone to dehydration. Dry heat can also lead to dehydration if you’re not taking care of yourself.
Marathon runners, rock climbers, football players, tennis players, soldiers, and soldiers may also suffer from dehydration if