By Christine Cioppa
Having a hard time concentrating? Feeling like coursework is tougher than normal? You may need more water.
Under-hydration affects most Americans, according to The Gale Encyclopedia of Fitness. Even mild dehydration can affect your ability to think and how you feel. One study from the British Journal of Nutrition found that mild dehydration impaired cognitive performance (working memory, vigilance) and mood (tension, anxiety, fatigue). Another study in The Journal of Nutrition concluded that mild dehydration lowered concentration and increased women’s perception of task difficulty.
If not for your studies, stay properly hydrated for your heart. New research, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, shows that being just 2 percent dehydrated (when you start feeling thirsty) impairs cells inside the blood vessels and the heart comparable to smoking a cigarette. Study author Stavros A. Kavouras, FACSM, FECSS, acknowledges that this impairment, which is more specifically known as “endothelial impairment,” can affect heart disease and/or stroke risk, but adds that “endothelial function is only a snapshot of cardiovascular health.”
In addition to the heart relying on a hydrated body, every organ and cell in your body needs adequate water to function properly. The body is, after all, half water.
SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION
Dehydration in adults:
- Thirst (mild) or extreme thirst (moderate-severe)
- Dry mouth/thick saliva (mild-severe)
- Dark urine or no urine (moderate-severe)
- Lightheadedness/dizziness (moderate-severe)
- Urinating less (moderate)
- Feeling tired/fatigue (mild-moderate)
- Headache (moderate)
- Shriveled and dry skin with little elasticity (severe)*
- Rapid heartbeat (severe)*
- Low blood pressure (severe)*
- Fever (severe)*
- Lack of sweat in combination with other moderate dehydration symptoms (severe)*
- Delirium/coma (severe)*
* Severe dehydration requires immediate medical attention. Many moderate symptoms also occur with severe dehydration.
For adults with mild to moderate dehydration, Gatorade, Powerade, and other sports drinks can help, according to the Mayo Clinic; however, see a doctor if you develop severe signs of dehydration, such as extreme thirst, shriveled skin, dizziness, confusion, and an inability to produce urine.
Dehydration in babies and young children:
- A dry diaper for three or more hours**
- Crying without tears**
- Unusual sleepiness**
- High fever (over 100°F for newborns less than 3 months; over 102°F for other children)**
- Dry mouth and tongue**
** If your child is dehydrated, check with your doctor immediately.
DRINK UP
Kavouras says, “An easy way to evaluate if you are drinking enough is by checking urine color. Dark urine means hypohydration [dehydration]. If you are going to the bathroom at least 6-7 times a day, you are probably in good shape.”
Also, “Keep water close to you in work and at home. When you have your water at sight, you tend to remember to drink more. By the time you are thirsty your body is already running low,” advises Kavouras.
According to FamilyDoctor.org, drinking six to eight 8-oz. glasses of water each day is “a reasonable goal,” though some people may need more, and some people may need less.
Not big on water? There are other great ways to hydrate (though water is a great choice compared to high-calorie sugary drinks). Not the best choices for hydration are liquids with caffeine or alcohol, which increase urination and fluid loss. Foods that you consume (fruits and vegetables) keep you hydrated too. Actually, 20 percent of water comes from food. Some of the foods highest in water content are watermelon, iceberg lettuce, orange, cucumber, grapes, broccoli and apple.
