Signs of Dehydration and How to Reverse Them

Dehydration can result in various health complications and can even be life-threatening. It occurs when your body loses a lot of fluids from sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.

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Failure to drink enough water every day can cause dehydration as well.

So, how much water does it take to reverse dehydration? The amount of water it takes to recover from dehydration depends on how dehydrated you are. 64 ounces of water taken at intervals for mild to moderate dehydration can reverse the condition.

It will take 5 minutes to 24 hours to fully recover from dehydration, depending on the level of dehydration.

Signs of Dehydration and How to Reverse it

Fluid loss leads to signs of physical and mental complications that require immediate action for reversal. These signs include:

How Much Water Does it Take to Reverse Dehydration — Photo by Gustavo Fring: pexels.com

Dark Urine

Normal urine is pale yellow, like lemonade. If your urine appears dark, this could signify dehydration (moderate to severe).

If you are not urinating at all, you are, most likely, severely hydrated.

How to resolve it: If your urine is dark yellow, start drinking more water immediately. To help your body absorb the fluids properly, take the water in small sips.

Dry Skin

The elasticity of your skin will tell you whether you are dehydrated or not. If you pinch it and it moves back slowly, you are mild to moderately dehydrated.

If the skin appears to stick together, that’s severe dehydration.

How to resolve it: Just like dark urine, increase your water intake and fluids if you are experiencing mild to moderate dehydration.

If you have just finished working out, drink coconut water or a sports drink. Visit a healthcare center if severely dehydrated.

Rapid Heartbeat and Breathing

It is very natural to have rapid breathing and an increased heart rate when working out. However, if the symptoms don’t withdraw after you’ve cooled down, it could signify severe dehydration.

How to reverse it: Enough fluid intake is vital for organs like your kidneys, heart, liver, and lungs. Therefore, you must visit a health practitioner if you experience these symptoms.

If, after a thorough examination, the doctor determines that you are dehydrated, you’ll most likely get intravenous fluid with a concentrated rehydration solution for quick delivery of the fluids to all body parts.

Fevers and Chills

Fever is also a dangerous sign of dehydration. Usually, fever and chills with illnesses like flu, but this is not always the case.

Maintaining regular body temperature becomes a challenge if your body lacks enough fluids. Failure to hydrate can thus lead to hyperthermia and fever-like symptoms.

How to resolve it: Avoid or stop any strenuous activity you are involved in immediately. The stress you impose on your body when working out can worsen the situation.

Drink more fluid and take an ice bath to cool your body.

Dizziness, Lightheadedness, or Confusion

Drinking enough water helps your brain work better. On the other hand, if you don’t consume enough fluids, you’ll suffer from adverse health effects.

If you are confused or feeling like you could pass out at any moment, you might be severely dehydrated.

How to resolve it: Rehydrate by drinking water and eating watery fruits like watermelon, cucumbers, apples, strawberries, and grapes.

Unconsciousness

You have reason to worry if your loved one is feeling hot due to a high body temperature or lightheaded. They might be almost passing out.

Unconsciousness results from dizziness, low blood pressure, etc. If accompanied by other dehydration signs, it could mean that the person is severely hydrated.

How to resolve it: Falling unconscious means your body requires water immediately. Seek medical help for anyone who passes out for dehydration treatment.

FAQs

Q: Does chugging water hydrate you?

Chugging water can hydrate you. However, taking small sips of water is, by far, a better option. The process enables your body to absorb water properly instead of gulping several glasses of water down.

Q: How can I tell if I’m hydrated?

The simplest way to gauge your hydration level is by checking the color of your urine. If it’s dark and with a strong odor, you are dehydrated and should increase your daily water intake.

If the urine is pale yellow, you are drinking enough water.

Another way to tell that you are hydrated is if you are not thirsty.
However, this doesn’t give you the ticket to start slacking your water intake. Do so, and you’ll eventually get thirsty from dehydration.

You can also tell whether you are hydrated by checking your skin’s elasticity. If you pinch your skin and it snaps back immediately, you are well hydrated.

Q: Can you rehydrate too quickly?

You can rehydrate fast but not by drinking too much water. Drinking a lot of water too quickly can lead to electrolyte imbalance.

Q: How long does it take to rehydrate your body?

Getting your body rehydrated fully can take 5 minutes to 36 hours. How fast your body recovers from dehydration depends on how dehydrated you are – mild, moderate, or severe.

Q: What should you eat when dehydrated?

When dehydrated, you should eat fruits and leafy vegetables with high water content. They include watermelons, cucumbers, celery, blackberries, iceberg lettuce, radishes, carrots, spinach, and grapefruit, among others.
Broth-based soups can also help you hydrate as they contain 92% water. They also contain vegetables and other ingredients like legumes or proteins.

Q: What should I drink if I don’t like water?

If you don’t like water, you should drink lemon, ginger, peppermint, green, and fruity teas to stay hydrated.
You can also add some flavoring to your water to suit your taste buds. Adding a twist of orange or lemon can help you drink more water daily.
Coconut water is also a great option for those who can’t stand water.

Q: What is the most hydrating liquid?

Milk is the most hydrating liquid as it contains protein, sugar, lactose, and fat that slow the removal of fluid from the stomach. It keeps hydration happening over a long period.
Milk has sodium as well, which acts like a sponge. It holds onto the water in your body resulting in less urine production.

Q: What drink has all electrolytes?

Different drinks contain different electrolytes. It’s hard to come across a drink with all electrolytes. For instance, milk is rich in electrolytes as it contains calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Coconut water, which is equally hydrating, is only rich in potassium, magnesium, and manganese.

Reference

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6407543/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/9013-dehydration