How Long Does it Take to Recover from Dehydration? Causes, Symptoms and FAQs

If you don’t drink enough water every day, chances are, you’ll get dehydrated. And you don’t want that to happen as it brings about several health complications.

Table of Contents

So, how long does it take to recover from dehydration fully? Well, the time it takes for one to recover from dehydration fully depends on how dehydrated they are. It can be in as little as 5 minutes or as long as 24 hours.

Get dehydrated, and your productivity will most likely go downhill. You’ll be short of energy!

Proper hydration increases energy and brain function and supports skin health, among other health benefits. Dehydration, however, denies your body the ability to carry out its normal functions.

Causes of Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than you consume. And although anyone can become dehydrated, the condition is more dangerous for kids and older adults.

The most common cause of dehydration in children is diarrhea and vomiting.

With older adults, dehydration can result from minor illnesses like infections affecting the bladder or lungs.

How Long Does it Take to Fully Recover from Dehydration — www.pexels.com : Photo by Artem Podrez

Other causes of dehydration include:

Prolonged exposure to heat
Intense exercise
Fever
Cold or flu
Diseases of the kidney
Diuretics

How Can You Tell that You are Dehydrated?

If dehydrated, your body will stop functioning normally. As a result, you may experience the following symptoms:

Dry mouth
Extreme thirst
Tiredness
Lightheadedness, dizziness, weakness
Flushed skin, swollen feet, and muscle cramps
Changes in blood pressure
Changes in heart rate
Constipation and dark-colored urine
Heat intolerance

Does it Take Long to Recover from Dehydration?

The time it takes to recover from dehydration depends on the cause of the dehydration, the severity of the condition, and how long you’ve been dehydrated.

Mild and moderate dehydration take minutes to several hours to recover. Severe dehydration (especially when caused by heatstroke) can lead to hospitalization.

After recovering from severe dehydration, your doctor may want to check your progress for a few weeks to track your electrolyte levels.

You’ll need to drink enough water (at least 64 ounces) daily to prevent dehydration.

FAQs

Q: What body organs get severely affected by dehydration?

The most affected body organs include the kidneys, brain, skin, muscles, and heart.

Q: How long does it take for kidneys to recover from dehydration?

Your kidneys can improve after a few hours of mild or moderate dehydration. However, full recovery may not happen until 3 days later.

Q: What is the fastest way to cure dehydration?

The fastest way to cure dehydration is taking an oral rehydration solution to treat the underlying cause of fluid loss.
With mild and moderate dehydration, you just need to drink enough water to replenish your fluids.

Q: How long does it take to recover from severe dehydration at home?

To treat dehydration at home, drink more fluids. Additionally, you can take an ice bath to cool your body down or apply a cold compress on your face.
If this doesn’t help, seek medical help from a doctor.
Severe dehydration can make you feel unusually tired and extremely dizzy. It can also make you have a weak pulse, thus the need to address it immediately.

Q: How long to recover from dehydration headache?

It takes up to 3 hours to resolve most dehydration headaches. A glass or 2 of water should help. Prolonged dehydration requires more water/fluids and lying down for a few hours.
If headaches keep recurring, you might have chronic dehydration. This condition leads to serious health complications like urinary tract infections and kidney stones.

Q: How long does it take to hydrate in the morning?

Drinking 1 to 2 cups of water the first thing in the morning rehydrates your body immediately. It increases your alertness, jump-starts your metabolism, and helps fuel your brain.

Q: What causes dehydration in children?

Dehydration in kids is usually caused by diarrhea, vomiting, or both. It can also happen if your child doesn’t want to drink water or any other fluid because they have a sore mouth or throat.
They can also become dehydrated in hot weather.

Q: How can you hydrate a child fast?

If suffering from mild dehydration, give them fluids like clear soup, soda, or Pedialyte in frequent small sips. In case of severe dehydration, seek medical help immediately.

Q: How can you recover from dehydration?

If dehydrated, the first thing you need to do is drink more fluids. Water, fresh fruit juices, herbal teas, and smoothies make a great choice. Try to drink at least 10 glasses of water daily.

Some fruits and vegetables, such as leafy greens, berries, celery, and melons, are naturally rich in water. They thus make a great option for individuals struggling with dehydration.

Oral hydration salts available in most health stores and pharmacies can help you recover from dehydration. They are usually prescribed to persons suffering from diarrhea.

If suffering from severe dehydration, IV fluid hydration might be your only option.

Q: How can you prevent dehydration?

To prevent dehydration, you should drink more water or fluid, especially if you exercise a lot or work in hot weather. Do the same if living in an arid area.
If you have kids or live with an older person(s), ensure that they drink enough water daily as well.

Sources