Recognizing Dehydration Symptoms: Key Signs to Watch Out For

Dehydration occurs when your total body water content is low. It can happen when you don't drink enough or lose a lot of fluids due to exercise, heat, diarrhea, or other reasons.

Water is essential to all body systems. It aids digestion, removes waste products, protects organs and tissues, controls body temperature, and regulates the body's acid-base balance. Thirst is often the first noticeable signal that you're dehydrated. When mildly dehydrated, drinking water is usually enough to rehydrate quickly, but sometimes, that's not enough.

How to Tell If You're Dehydrated

Mild Dehydration Symptoms

Symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration may include:

• Thirst
• Dry mouth, dry lips, dry tongue
• Less urine, dark-colored urine
• Tiredness, fatigue
• Irritability
• Headache
• Light-headedness, dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Dry skin

In infants and young children, you might also notice:

• Sunken soft spot on the head (fontanel)
• Crying without tears
• Unusually dry diapers
  

Severe Dehydration Symptoms

As you become more dehydrated, symptoms can include:

• No urine at all
• Rapid breathing and heartbeat
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Seizures
• Rapid weight loss (over 10% of body weight)

In infants and children, you might also notice sunken eyes and wrinkled skin.

Uncommon Symptoms

There are a few symptoms you may not automatically connect to dehydration.

• Dry mouth (due to poor saliva production)
• Bad breath (due to dry mouth)
• Itchy, dry skin

Additionally, some people may mistake some signs of dehydration for signs of hunger. Overlapping symptoms include trouble focusing, tiredness, dizziness, and headache.

How to Rehydrate

The fastest way to treat dehydration is to drink water. Drinking too much water too quickly can cause electrolyte imbalances, so take small sips and drink slowly. Electrolytes are charged minerals in the bloodstream, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium.

Other things you can do include:

• Suck on ice chips or Popsicles.
• Drink fruit juice, but be mindful that many juices contain excess sugar, which can upset your stomach. Diluting juice with water can help it go down more easily.
• Have a sports drink that contains electrolytes. Some may be as effective as water in rehydrating you. Check the label because many are also high in added sugars.
• Drink over-the-counter (OTC) oral rehydration solutions (or Pedialyte for children) to replenish electrolytes.
• If possible, avoid drinks that contain alcohol or caffeine, which can make you urinate more.

If dehydration is due to excessive sun or heat, move to the shade or indoors, where you can access air-conditioning or fans.

How long it takes to recover depends on many factors, including the level of dehydration, how much you drink, your age, and your overall health. For mild to moderate dehydration, it can take a few minutes to several hours to rehydrate. When you're severely dehydrated, it can take several days for a full recovery.

If you can't seem to replenish fluids on your own, see a healthcare provider. You may need intravenous (IV) fluids or other medical treatment. If your child appears dehydrated, it's best to contact a provider right away.

Who Is at Risk?

You lose water through sweat, urine, stool, vomit, and tears. When dehydrated, your body doesn't have enough water to work well. Anyone can become dehydrated, but people in certain populations or scenarios can have an increased risk of dehydration:

• Infants and young children: This group tends to have more diarrhea and vomiting and is dependent on others for fluids.
• Older adults: As people age, the body stores less fluid, and the sense of thirst is often diminished.
• People with certain health conditions: Kidney disease and diabetes cause you to lose more fluids.
• People who take certain medications: Diuretics (water pills) cause you to urinate more.
• Activity and heat: Those who engage in rigorous physical activity or are exposed to high temperatures for a long time lose more fluids.

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Dehydration

Even mild dehydration can affect blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. Dehydration is also associated with poor memory and attention and decreased muscle strength and endurance.

Dehydration increases the risk of conditions such as:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Kidney stones
• Dental cavities
• Brain damage

Severe dehydration can be fatal.

Recommended Amount of Water to Drink

Water needs vary from person to person and can change with circumstances such as health conditions, age, physical activity, and temperature.

The following are general guidelines for different groups:

• Age 1 to 3: 4 cups (8 ounces)
• Age 4 to 8: 5 cups (40 ounces)
• Age 9 to 13: 7 to 8 cups (56 to 64 ounces)
• Age 14 to 18: 8 to 11 cups (64 to 88 ounces)
• Males 19 and over: 13 cups (104 ounces)
• Females 19 and over: 9 cups (72 ounces)
• When pregnant: 10 cups (80 ounces)
• When breastfeeding: 13 cups (104 ounces)

Infants under 6 months of age should get all their fluids from breast milk or infant formula. Those from 6 to 12 months require about one-half cup to 1 cup (4 to 8 ounces) of water a day.

Tips to Stay Hydrated

You can lower the chances of dehydration by drinking enough fluids throughout the day. Because foods like fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water, they count toward your daily water intake. Other tips include:

• Drink extra fluids when exercising, when the weather is hot, or when you're sick.
• Avoid extended time outdoors when the temperature is high.
• Bring a water bottle when you exercise and sip often.
• When you have fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, drink plenty of clear liquids and sports drinks or rehydration solutions to replace electrolytes.
  

Summary

Dehydration means your body doesn't have enough water to function well. This can happen for many reasons, including diarrhea, excessive heat, and intense exercise. Thirst, tiredness, and irritability are signs of dehydration. Lack of fluids can increase the risk of UTI and kidney stones.

Drinking water can usually rehydrate you within minutes or hours. Sports drinks that contain electrolytes can also be helpful. If you're severely dehydrated, you may need IV fluids to get back on track.

Severe dehydration can be life-threatening. Fainting, confusion, or blood in vomit or diarrhea are signs that you need immediate medical attention.

Drinking water throughout the day and replenishing often when you lose extra fluids can lower the risk of dehydration.