More than sixty percent of an adult’s body constitutes water. Water is vital to life. A body might not function properly and efficiently if there is not enough water in the body. Drinking plenty of water is essential to help the body remain hydrated and avoid dehydration.

What Is Dehydration?

Dehydration is a physical condition that is termed as the inability of a body to function properly due to a lack of fluid and essential electrolytes. These electrolytes encompass sodium, potassium, and chloride. These are essential for the proper functioning of the body at a cellular level, and its imbalance can impair proper functioning.

Water is the primary electrolyte in the body. It has many functions ranging from cleaning up toxins from the body, cooling, maintaining temperature level, and most importantly, keeping the body hydrated. Its regular intake is essential for good health and proper functioning. There is no life without water.

Causes Of Dehydration

There is a wide variety of causes of dehydration. It could have begun due to vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, or excessive urination at the very initial level. In severe cases, overexertion and overheating of the body can also lead to dehydration. 

No matter whatever the reason is, dehydration could have drastic effects on physical and mental health. Other reasons for drastic dehydration include over-exercising, drinking alcohol, and a specific type of medicinal use. These habits, especially drinking alcohol dehydrates the body to another level. 

In extreme cases, fluids might be inserted into the body through intravascular means. For those who want to give up on alcohol and medications, there are specific rehab centers for such assistance. Yes, you can cure alcoholism with the support of your loved one and get rid of dehydration.

Levels Of Dehydration

Dehydration can be divided into two levels based on the amount of fluid lost and its health-related issues. To cope with dehydration, it is essential to assess how it has affected body functioning.

At a very basic dehydration level, drinking plenty of fluids is the key to address the issue. When a person faces mild dehydration, he/she can cope with it by consciously taking more water. The body itself sends a message to the brain about the feeling of thirst. So, whenever you feel thirst, respond to this message from your brain and drink water.

At a severe level, when the body has lost plenty of fluids, it faces impaired functioning. Moreover, it becomes hard to cope with the situation independently. As a result, a person has to seek medical assistance.

Health Issues Related To Dehydration

There are quite a several health-related problems that are associated with dehydration. Let us have a view of the five most common and most important health issues.

• Muscular Seizures

As has been discussed earlier, the fluid imbalance leads to electrolyte imbalance vital for cellular functioning. Sodium and potassium are electrolytes responsible for carrying nervous signals in between cells.

If its functioning is impaired, it might disrupt the electrical signal in between cells and cause improper muscle functioning. The most important is to know that heart is a vital muscular organ, and in some rare cases, severe dehydration can affect its functioning, known as arrhythmia. It can prove to be life-taking.

• Hypovolemic (Low Blood) Shock

Hypovolemic is a condition in which a person faces extremely low blood pressure due to low body fluid levels. The human body constitutes about twenty percent of blood volume. Dehydration can cause blood volume to drop. 

Its effect is so drastic that even one-fifth of a drop in blood volume can lead to very low blood pressure, and it becomes hard for the body to take oxygen from the blood, thus leading to hypovolemic shock. In order to cope with it, medical interventions are used to add fluids into the body immediately.

Such a condition would require medical attention, and in this state, it is not advisable to take water orally. A person might feel dizzy and may even faint. Hence lying down and avoiding standing up are good options.

• Improper Kidney Functioning

Dehydration can lead to problems in the kidney and urinary tract. It can cause kidney stones in the case of kidneys and cause infection in case of the urinary tract.

Kidney stones are formed when fluid levels are drastically low. The minerals and salts in urine accumulate to form stones in the kidney. These stones can really become painful; doctors suggest taking plenty of water as a remedy to pass out stones more easily.

The color of urine is also an indicator that whether the water level in the body is adequate or not. If the color of the urine is darker, it shows that there is not enough fluid. In order to avoid such a situation, a person must keep the right track of water intake and stay hydrated.

• Muscle Injuries

The most common cause of muscle injuries is getting indulged in heavy exercise and physical activity without ensuring proper fluid intake. It leads to overheating in the muscles, which initiate heavy sweating, dryness in the mouth, and redness. 

It happens because there are not enough fluids in the body to let muscles cool. Such inability of the body to cool down can also cause muscle cramps and muscle seizures, as has been discussed earlier.

• Constipation

Dehydration can also impact gastrointestinal function. Drinking too little water can cause a dry and hard stool, which becomes extremely painful to pass out. Staying hydrated and taking in more fiber is the key to avoid such a situation.

Conclusion

To ensure healthy well-being, it is very important to drink plenty of water and keep the right hydration level. Drinking water has several benefits; likewise, if its intake is not ensured, it could lead to severe health issues. If water does not taste good to you, then you may take it in any form you like. Ensuring an adequate fluid level in the body will be helpful for organ functioning. Stay happy and stay hydrated!