I am the first person to say I do not drink enough water. Our body is 60% water and we are supposed to drink 8, 8-ounce cups a day. Even knowing this I still consume much less than that.  Recently, I have started to pay attention to my lack of water that I am consuming. I have started to notice everything that water does for our bodies and the importance of keeping up with hydration. But I found myself blaming everything on my lack of water. My leg hurts, and I must be dehydrated. I feel light-headed, I must be dehydrated. After doing this for about a week my boyfriend got annoyed and simply said “you can’t blame everything on being dehydrated.” So to prove him wrong I had to do some research! These are 7 signs you are not drinking enough water. 

1.Constant fatigue 

Even though our bodies are made of 60% water, we are constantly losing it throughout the day. We sweat, we go to the bathroom, and we breathe. All these acts take water from our bodies. When our bodies run low on fluids we begin to feel tired and weaker than we normally do. In order to fix this, eat a water-filled fruit or vegetable, have some water or some soup. Even other beverages will do the trick! Just make sure you are consuming enough water to replenish the fluids you lose throughout the day. This should help you maintain energy levels throughout the day. 

2. Dull Skin

If you notice your skin is itchy, dull, you have dark under-eye circles, sunken eyes, shadows around the face, or an increase in the appearance of fine lines on the face. These are all signs that your skin is dehydrated. This alone should convince you to drink more water. There are so many benefits that are skin gains when we drink more water. Drinking more water evens out skin tone, prevents breakouts, reduces puffiness, tightens skin, and can prevent premature aging. All that from just a simple 8 glasses of water a day. 

3. Persistent Headaches 

Our brains need water, when it lacks water it can lead to headaches. Not everyone gets dehydration headaches, in a survey released in a medical journal it found that 1 in 10 people suffer from these headaches. (That’s me!) If you are one of the many that suffers, make sure to drink water while taking medication. Continue to drink plenty of water (duh) and if it gets worse, nausea, vomiting, fainting, or light-headedness please see a doctor.

4. Dry Mouth or bad breathe 

When we do not consume water, our bodies can not produce saliva like they are supposed to. This leaves our mouths dry, and we do not have the antibacterial properties from the saliva. This gives bacteria the opportunity to grow in our mouths causing bad breath (Eww). It also will give you chapped lips! 

5. Moodiness 

Dehydration can cause many different emotions. It can cause a lack of concentration and mental tension. It has also been known to make you feel angry, anxious, and irritated. On top of all this, women have been found to experience this more than men. However, men will suffer from memory loss, mental tension, and anxiety. This is because there is less blood flow to our brains when we do not have enough water. 

6. Overeating 

Sometimes we can confuse thirst for hunger. It is best to grab a glass of water when you feel a craving coming on. Rather than nibbling on chips sip on a glass of water, it is zero calories and you can only get positive outcomes from it! In order to avoid overeating at meal times, drink a glass of water before sitting down. This will help keep you from being super hungry as well. 

7. Slow Metabolism

When we become thirsty our metabolisms begin to slow down. In a very small study, it was found that just 2 cups of water can increase the metabolism by 30%. This in turn could help you lose some weight. Some other ways to do this are eating more protein, getting whole grain, drinking ice water, green tea, or coffee or eating spicy foods. All of these can help speed up your metabolism and get you on the right track of your weight lose journey. 

Water is the basic need of life. For me, it is something that I constantly take for granted. I knew my body needed water to do basic functions but I had no idea all the consequences from not drinking enough water. If you struggle like me to drink to water here’s a few tips to help: 

Keep a reusable water bottle

You can carry this around with you so you constantly have hydration. This is not only good for you but it’s also good for the environment. At that point, you literally have no excuse to not drink water. 

Flavor your water

Drinking water all the time can get boring quickly. Add some flavor to it. This can easily be done by adding fruit to your water. My favorite fruit to add to water is strawberries. It's sweet and refreshing. But you can really use any fruit or vegetables. 

Drink one glass of water per hour at work

If you work a standard 8 hour work day. You can drink one glass of water (8 ounces) every hour and then you would have drank enough water for the day. 

It is important to remember to stay hydrated throughout the day. It is not enough to just drink water during meals. You should be drinking it throughout the day. As I am editing it this article to be posted my boyfriend is making fun of me for my obsession with hydration. Well, now I can tell him “I did the research and I do need water!” I challenge all of you to drink 8 glasses of water every day this week and I will do the same. Let’s stay hydrated!