Signs You Need To Drink More Water

Getting adequate amounts of water is one of the most important things you can do every single day, as our bodies can’t last long without this important nutrient. Water plays an important role in helping to perform numerous bodily functions in addition to giving you that refreshing feeling every time you take a swig after a hard day’s work or some physical activity. Many individuals don’t get enough water intake throughout the day. Before beginning any type of exercise, stretching, or dietary routine, you should consult with a qualified healthcare professional. Take a look at some of the many roles water plays in our bodies, the importance of staying properly hydrated, how water helps you with your physical therapy treatments, and some important signs to be on the lookout for which may indicate you need to drink more water.

Daily Hydration Recommendations

The old adage used to be that an individual should strive to have 8 cups of water a day, but those recommendations have changed and there’s a bit more nuance to the recommendations now. Every individual’s necessary fluid intake has a lot of variables that can impact how much they should actually consume. As an example, the fluid intake guidelines will differ from young children to adults, active vs non-active, etc. The new recommendation is between 13 cups of 8 oz. water for men and 9 cups of 8 oz. water for women. Those who are more physically active may require more and those who are inactive may require less.

Why Is It Important To Stay Well Hydrated?

Aside from feeling refreshed, there are plenty of health reasons that individuals should try to get an adequate amount of water every single day. The first reason is that adequate amounts of water help your body stay cool and regulate temperatures. A body that’s running hot will try to produce sweat to cool temperatures down. Without proper fluid intake, your body’s ability to sweat and regulate its temperature is compromised. The next important reason to stay hydrated is that it can prevent constipation. Staying well-hydrated helps your body have regular bowel movements. Another aspect of staying well hydrated is that you can also control your weight a bit better. Drinking more water can help you feel full longer and reduce those cravings that make you slip up on your diet or eat more than your body needs. Adequate amounts of hydration also help your body have the nutrients it needs to perform at its peak during and after a workout. Your body works better when it’s well-hydrated.

How Hydration Plays a Role in Physical Therapy

Hydration plays an important role in helping your body recover, especially when you’re at your next physical therapy appointment. Staying well-hydrated can help you ensure that you’re doing all you can to recover from injuries and work to prevent them in the future. Water helps our bodies through the circulatory system to help move nutrients and oxygen throughout the body and can promote healing. Water also helps to boost joint health.

Signs You Need to Drink More Water

There are several signs that could indicate that you should drink more water or seek immediate care.

Decreased Amount of Urine

Decreased amounts of urination and urine color could indicate that it’s time to drink more water. The darker the urine, the more severe the dehydration may be or there’s an underlying concern that needs to be evaluated aside from dehydration.

Dry Mouth and/or Bad Breath

A dry mouth that leaves you feeling thirsty all of the time is a sign of dehydration. In addition, dry mouth can also give you bad breath.

Sugar Cravings

Feeling the urge to eat or have a massive sugar craving? Sometimes those sugar cravings and the urge to eat can be influenced by being dehydrated.

Swollen Tongue

A swollen tongue can also occur in a dry mouth and be an indicator for dehydration.

Muscle Cramps

One of the most common signs of dehydration, muscle cramps can highlight that someone needs to drink more water.

Sluggishness and/or Fatigue

Feeling a bit sluggish or tired can be a sign that you need to drink more water.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is one of the many signs that you need to drink more water. Our skin uses moisture to keep our skin feeling smooth and ensure that it has the ability to stretch when performing activities. Dry, flaky skin could indicate that your body lacks enough moisture.

Severe Signs That You Need to Seek Immediate Care

Several signs indicate an individual should seek immediate care including dizziness, fainting spells, confusing, or heart palpitations.

Leading Causes of Dehydration

There are many reasons that an individual can become dehydrated over time, but one of the most common reasons is that they’re not drinking enough water throughout the day. Other common reasons include alcohol consumption, caffeine consumption, aging, high altitudes, sunburn, and certain medications.

Tips to Stay Hydrated Throughout the Day

Staying well-hydrated throughout the day is important if you want to take advantage of all the health benefits water has to offer. There are several things you can do to track your water consumption and stay hydrated throughout the day:

• Keep a Tracker
• Purchase a Water Bottle or Jug with Timestamps on the Side
• Intentionally Sip Water Throughout the Day
• Drink a Glass of Water Before Each Meal and Exercise
• Monitor Your Urine Color

Recover with Physical Therapy

Water plays an important role in ensuring an effective recovery at the end of each day in addition to all the aches and pains you experience. Staying well-hydrated is an important part of maintaining your health and giving your body the nutrients it needs. Physical therapy is an effective treatment option for injury recovery alongside other aches and pains you’re dealing with. Request an appointment at a nearby PT clinic to see how physical therapy can help you alleviate pain.

1. Harvard School of Public Health. “Water.” The Nutrition Source, 24 Sept. 2019, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/water/.
2. “3 Awesome Benefits of Drinking Water – IBJI.” Illinois Bone & Joint Institute | IBJI, 29 July 2013, www.ibji.com/blog/orthopedic-care/3-awesome-benefits-of-drinking-water/#:~:text=Water%20helps%20to%20keep%20your.