Signs That You’re Not Drinking Enough Water
How do you really know?
Well the most obvious is feeling thirsty, but here’s some not so obvious signs: (in fact most experts say you are already significantly dehydrated by the time you feel thirsty.
- Feeling tired
- Dizziness
- Dry skin and lips
- Headaches
- Constipation
- Mood swings
- And… joint pain
Obviously there are more but these are the most common.
One more way to check if you are dehydrated is the color of your urine. If your urine is clear then you are probably drinking enough water. If your urine is dark yellow you defiantly not drinking enough.
I understand many older adults may try to limit their intake of water because it is inconvenient to urinate, especially during the night; however, I’ll bet it would be an even BIGGER inconvenience if you landed in the hospital from dehydration or electrolyte imbalances…these could lead to serious complications, even death!
What You Can Expect When You Start Drinking More Water…
You already know that water is great for you, but after a few weeks of drinking more of it, what benefits can you expect to see?
Less soreness in your back and joints for one!
You’ll feel ‘healthier’, your eyes may not feel as tired, and you’ll feel more alert!
Additionally water can help you lose weight (if that’s something you’d like to achieve), your skin will look clearer and you’ll have a natural glow!
You’ll likely even find you don’t need to reach for the coffee 4 times a day because you feel much more alert.
How Can You Increase Your Water Intake?
Besides using a bigger glass to down your water with, here’s some other tips that might work better for you. I’ll start with my favorite – drinking a glass of water right after waking up.
Before I go to bed I make sure to place a glass of water on my bedside table, that way, when I wake up in the morning, the first thing I see is a glass of water right next to me.
It’s a great feeling knowing that I’ve already consumed almost 15% of my daily water intake before my day has even started. Give it a go, after a week or two it’ll be a new habit and you’ll feel more energetic for it.
Another way you can increase how much you drink is to switch it up.
I get it, water can get boring, but it doesn’t have to be.
You can always add lemon, cucumber or other fruits to your water/ Experiment with it and try to find something that suits you.
And my final tip… Don’t wait until you are thirsty to starting drinking. Thirst is the first sign of dehydration and if you are recovering from an injury or are having health complications, dehydration could only make things worse.
So there you have it, why you need to drink more water to help ease aches and pains, did you have any idea that water played such a huge role in your joint health? Don’t let another day go by of being dehydrated – now you have simple tips to help you drink more water each day.