The human body is made up mostly of water. Any time you spend too long in the hot sun and you don’t replace the fluids you’re losing, you run the risk of dehydration. If you pay close attention to the signals your body is sending you though, you can avoid the problem entirely.
What are those signs and signals, exactly? We’ll outline them for you just below!
Dark Urine (Or Less Urine)
This is actually one of the best and most obvious signs that you are becoming dehydrated. Generally speaking, when you’re well-hydrated, your urine is clearer. As you become dehydrated, it will grow darker. There will also be less of it, as your body tries to conserve as many fluids as it can.
A General Feeling Of Lethargy
This is a sign of moderate dehydration and is typically accompanied by a feeling of growing weakness in your muscles. You may also experience dry mouth that accompanies the sense of lethargy. While either of those on their own is a decent indicator, both together are a sure sign.
Light-Headedness or Headache
Another sign of moderate dehydration is light-headedness or dizziness. It may also be accompanied by a sudden headache or nausea.
You Stop Sweating
This is a sign of severe dehydration that normally only occurs when you’ve lost 10-15 percent of your body’s water content. At this point, if you look in the mirror, you’ll probably also notice that you have sunken eyes and your skin looks shriveled and dried out.
Other symptoms of severe dehydration include:
- Delirium
- Fever
- Increased heart rate
- Low blood pressure
Anything you can do to put more fluids back into your system will help ward off the effects of dehydration. After a certain point, you’ll likely need medical attention to be sure that no complications arise as a result. Be mindful of the signals your body is sending you and play it safe any time you spend extended periods in the heat!