Dehydration is a fairly common problem in hot summery days. In tropical countries many people die every year because of this problem. It’s basically means the lack of fluid in the body. Dehydration can be mild, moderate or even chronic based on how much fluid of body is lost or not stocked up.
During the long and baking summer days, sweating causes a lot of draining of the fluid from the body. Sometimes in summer season we generally forget how important it is to stay hydrated. If we do not consume enough fluids, our body starts showing signs of dehydration.
Lets us now get into the details of triggers which leads to dehydration in body.
Primary Causes of Dehydration
- Vomiting
- High fever
- Diarrhea
- Overuse of diuretics
- Excessive sweating (for example, from dancing, exercise etc)
- Excessive urination such as with the patients of diabetes
Sometimes people do not take enough fluids because of-
- Nausea
- Sore throat
- Mouth sores
- Lack of appetite due to prolonged illness
Dehydration is basically classified into two main types (1) Mild dehydration and (2) Chronic dehydration. First of all have a look at symptoms of mild dehydration.
- Thirst
- Dry skin
- Headache
- Constipation
- Sticky or dry mouth
- Confusion or dizziness
- Desire to sleep or fatigue
- Reduced urination in frequency and amount
Signs of Chronic or Acute Dehydration
- Fever
- Irritability
- Sunken eyes
- Extreme thirst
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Inability to sweat
- Unconsciousness
- Low blood pressure
- Changes in skin elasticity
- Very little or no need to urinate
Effective Measures to Handle Dehydration Safely
1. Pay attention to your body signs and drink lots of fluids to curb this. Eat banana because it is high potassium and water content that can be effective in tackling the dehydration.
2. If you’re a chronic dehydration sufferer then cut down the intake of sodium beverages because it soaks up the fluid from body and makes situation worse.
3. Switch to electrolyte powders because these fulfill the requirement of body. But overdose of this one also cause damage to your body.
4. Drink lemon juice with a pinch of salt after every 2-3 hours. It gives you relief from dry mouth and lessens the signs of dehydration.
Just remember human body is made up with 73% of water and if the level of water sinks down in body then it starts showing you deadly signs. So drink lots of water and stay hydrated to bet the heat this season.
