The Dangers Of Dehydration

Over the past million years or so, humans have evolved a very advanced set of checks and balances to make sure that all of our internal systems are operating properly. One of the amazing things about this is that they operate almost out of our conscious awareness. If we haven't eaten in a while, all we can think about is food. If our bodies are running low on fluids, water is the only thing on our mind. If something threatening suddenly shows up, we get a huge burst of energy so that we can run away. Even though these systems have been refined over hundreds of thousands of years, we can still ignore them, just like we ignore the red light on our gas tank. And when we do, bad things usually happen.

When you don't drink enough water, you become dehydrated. Once in a while is not such a big deal, because you can always make up for it later. But consistent dehydration can lead to several adverse health conditions that you don't want. Most people wait until they are thirsty before they drink, but this is actually too late. A feeling of thirst is actually a warning sign that you are getting dangerously low on water.

Several studies have shown that consistent dehydration leads to a much less efficient immune system. This means you'll get sick more often, and when you do get sick, it will last longer, and be more severe. With constant hydration, you can improve your immune system and stay healthy. Also, drinking plenty of fluids while suffering from common colds has long been considered an effective way of shortening the duration of the illness.

One more danger of not getting enough fluids is excessive tiredness. When your body is dehydrated, it takes much more energy for your body to perform it's daily tasks, which will make you tired. Sometimes it can feel as if you are not getting enough sleep, when in reality you are just dehydrated. In order to give yourself some more energy, consider drinking a few more glasses of water a day.

One other danger associated with dehydration is excessive hunger pains. Hunger is a tricky thing, and it can be hard to tell if you're really hungry or not. Many times there are certain psychological triggers that can induce hunger. But with a lack of water, there is a physical signal that is often misinterpreted as hunger. If you feel hungry, and there's no real reason, consider drinking a glass or two of water. You may find that your hunger quickly vanishes.

Lastly, without sufficient water flushing through your system on a regular basis, you can build up free radicals. These are chemicals that are naturally byproducts of your normal metabolism. If you drink enough water, they are simply flushed out, and there's no problem. But without enough water, these can build up over time and cause some serious problems.

Not drinking enough water can lead to serious health problems. The good news is that all you need to do is to drink a couple extra glasses a day. This can be enough to give you more energy, and keep you healthy.