The Effects of Dehydration – Serious stuff

In the Outdoor Revival office the other day we were talking about dehydration and how we’ve all felt the effects at some time or another, usually we recognize our symptoms and we address the situation by taking in some liquids and we’re all good. Sometimes though it can get a lot worse, we hear stories of people rally struggle because of dehydration and it can cause some serious problems.

At Outdoor Revival our mission is to get people outdoors more, having adventures and enjoying nature and the wilderness, you can only do that if you’re as healthy as you can be and you don’t get sick when you’re out there.

We encourage everyone to learn more about the problem, how important water is and how their body works, how much water they need and what’s the best way to supply that water for themselves.

Below is a description of what dehydration can do to us, it’s not meant as medical advice as we’re not medical professionals but it is meant to give you an idea of what to look out for and to help you make some good choices when it comes to your own body and health.

You’re out for a morning jog, and your mouth is dry. Half way through a long day’s work, you wipe the sweat from your brow, and you have that familiar feeling; thirst. Your doctor has told you before and you know he’s right; you should be drinking more water.

It starts with a dry mouth, but mild dehydration can cause a multitude of nasty general symptoms as well. General fatigue, head, and body aches, cramps, to name a few. Not to mention the mental side of things. Mood swings, anxiety and irritability have all been linked to mild dehydration. Your skin becomes dry and cracked, your eyes appear sunken, and you may even experience dizzy spells. All of these relatively small things can add up, into one monumentally bad day.

Not drinking enough water can have adverse effects on some things you may not associate it with as well. Low water intake has been linked to slower metabolism, increased hunger and digestive issues which are significant players in weight gain. It also slows your circulation and causes your body temperature to become irregular, leading to both sweats and chills. Not drinking enough water can also cause your blood sugar to spike, which is especially dangerous for diabetics.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, persistent dehydration can cause serious side effects as well. Low blood pressure with a rapid heartbeat, fever, delirium, severe diarrhea and vomiting and an inability to keep liquids down have all been associated with severe dehydration. These are hospitalization tier symptoms that can all be fixed with a simple glass of water a day.

At its worst, dehydration can cause irreversible organ damage. You can get heat stroke from being outside too long without water, which leads to brain swelling and even seizures. You may go into hypovolemic shock, which is a life-threatening condition where your heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to your body due to a lack of liquids. Your kidneys could also fail, or you may go into a coma. All of the aforementioned conditions come with the risk of death.

So raise a glass of water to your health, for your health.

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