The truth of the matter is simply that everyone will get dehydrated from time to time. The effects can be pretty unpleasant, but they normally disappear pretty quicky when you rehydrate (which normally means turning on the faucet and chugging down a good amount of water). It is a pretty simple problem with an even simpler solution. It can creep up on you, and you can suddenly find yourself without immediate access to water and not feeling well at all, but dehydration is something which all but the most assiduous of water drinkers will get caught out by now and again.
Chronic dehydration is another matter entirely. This arises when a person is consistently dehydrated and begins to suffer the long-term effects of a body that is very frequently without enough water. And alarming as that may sound, it is more common than you might think – much more common. It is estimated that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, meaning that they regularly go for periods of time without enough water in their system. This alarming statistic could be lessened if people were a bit more educated on how to tackle this problem. So, let us do our bit to help that now.
Chronic Means Long Term
It is important to stress here that we are not talking the kind of dehydration that occurs when you’re suddenly obliged to walk some distance in hot weather without a bottle of water or find yourself on a long bus journey similarly out of life’s most important substance.
The dangers we are talking about here develop over time when a person is dehydrated. And, while rehydration is the obvious cure, the effects will not simply disappear when this happens. They will disappear quickly enough, but tackling a chronic problem requires a change of lifestyle. This is not simply drinking water when you notice your urine is dark or your skin goes dry.
Effects of Chronic Dehydration
So, bearing in mind that the following problems are not acute but chronic ones that are suffered consistently on account of a chronic condition, here follows some of the effects of chronic dehydration. However, also bear in mind that dehydration might not be the only cause for these effects, so be sure to investigate other causes too:
Fatigue
Fatigue is a feeling of prolonged tiredness, weakness, and listlessness, even if you if you slept well. If fatigue persists for days upon days, then it could be because you are chronically dehydrated. There might be many other causes for this too (and some of them profoundly serious) but it certainly will not do you any harm to start getting enough water every day.
Headaches
Again, persistent headaches can be caused by a lot of things, and chronic dehydration is one of them. These headaches can actually become very severe. Furthermore, chronic dehydration can also cause much more serious migraines, where you feel dizzy and your vision is affected.
Nausea and Vomiting
One of the most alarming of chronic dehydration’s effects, nausea and vomiting can be caused by chronic dehydration. If the nausea arises after physical activity, and if you feel persistently out of breath and fatigued, then the things are beginning to point towards chronic dehydration as the culprit.
How to Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is a matter of getting enough water every day. Synergy Science, a company offering water health products such as purified and filtered water, say that using more hydrating drinks can make this task easier. If you are chronically dehydrated, the remedy will not be instant, but you will notice a difference pretty soon. So drink up!