Dehydration

[AlphaDalpha]

Oh my gosh, it should be taught in schools!

I've recently downloaded an app that includes a section to monitor hydration, I think I may have spent my entire life chronically dehydrated, I've never drunk this much water before and I feel AMAZING.

Normally I slump in the afternoon and crave wine in the evening but water fixes it.

Now I may be coming across as a bit, well, simple with all this excitement but dehydration actually explains a lot of the issues I've had over the past 40 years.

Go and drink some water people (okay, wrong emoji and wine messes with my target water consumption)

I just can't believe that a healthy adult in the UK who is eating and drinking a reasonable amount can be dehydrated.

It always amazes me how little water a lot of people drink. The GDA isn't actually that much!

What kind of problems did you have?

I recently read a book called the four pillar plan which was really interesting, hydration was one of the key points mentioned that everyone can do to feel better.

How little did you drink?

I am a poor drinker. When I'm the office I'm generally fine because we do tea rounds but I am wfh and off dairy (and can't find a plant based one I like with tea).

I have maybe 3 cups of herbal tea or coffee a day, sometimes 2. That's it. I try and fill my water bottle but remember maybe once every 3 days and don't often finish it.

I got very tired yesterday morning. Had a drink of water and tiredness went away.

I very seldom think I want a drink.

It is taught in schools in food and nutrition as part of the science curriculum.
Trouble is, people and children would rather drink squash, alcohol ( not children obs ) fruity waters and fizzy drinks , most with chemical additives rather than the most rehydrating drink of all which is water.
I’m a TA and over the nearly twenty years I’ve been at school I’m really surprised at the number of parents who send their little ones into school with squash etc... despite school policy saying only water to be brought in. Many children won’t touch water because they don’t like it but apparently some children are allergic to it!

What’s the app?

You can also get water through food (and drinks that aren't just water).

What did everyone do for millennia before this app came along?

I was really hoping that your AIBU was that people say dehydrated instead of thirsty.

It's funny how many things should be taught in schools.

I'm one of those people who doesn't really feel thirst unless it's exceptionally hot or I've done some major exercise. I have learned that if I feel tired it's best to drink a pint of water as actually sometimes it's really dehydration. When I was pregnant I suddenly started feeling what I think is a normal amount of thirst during the day and the amount I drank increased a lot. It's just hard to remember to drink much if you don't feel thirsty!

@menofharlech

I am a poor drinker. When I'm the office I'm generally fine because we do tea rounds but I am wfh and off dairy (and can't find a plant based one I like with tea).

I have maybe 3 cups of herbal tea or coffee a day, sometimes 2. That's it. I try and fill my water bottle but remember maybe once every 3 days and don't often finish it.

I got very tired yesterday morning. Had a drink of water and tiredness went away.

I very seldom think I want a drink.

Yikes 😳

That is definitely not enough! I know you already know that so I don't know why I'm saying it other than to press it home so you try to remember more.

Can you set regular alarms on your phone to remind you?

I drink a LOT of water always have done, but also had 2 serious cases of dehydration which have absolutely terrified me and have both ended in trips to A&E, both were as a result of severe food poisoning.
I am very aware very quickly if I haven’t drunk enough water in a day I think probably because I’m always so hydrated I really notice the difference.
My mum and my grandma both drink almost no water whatsoever. My mum tells me almost daily she has a headache and when I ask if she’s had anything to drink she almost always says no. They laugh at me for carrying a litre bottle of water with me almost everywhere I go.

It astounds me how little some people drink. I think being hydrated is the first and easiest cure for many mild “not feeling well” symptoms.

Drinking squash will be pretty much as good as drinking water. It often isn’t good for teeth and can be high calorie but in terms of combatting dehydration, it’s absolutely fine to drink.

With me it became a sort of virtuous circle.

I never (and I mean never!) drank water. Ever.

I drank Diet Coke, tea, coffee, juice.

I can really taste the chemicals in tap water, I think I must have a very sensitive palette because my DH can't taste them. To me it tastes like taking a gulp of swimming pool water.

So I got a Brita filter jug and the water tastes much better.

Then I started drinking water - the more water I drank, the thirstier I was!

Whereas before I could go all day on three or four drinks - suddenly I needed to have a bottle of water with me all the time because I was much thirstier (and don't like buying plastic bottles).

I never (and I mean never!) drank water. Ever.

I drank Diet Coke, tea, coffee, juice.

Again, all those drinks count towards your daily fluid intake. People get really evangelical about drinking pure water but your body is perfectly capable of getting what it needs from other drinks, as well as food.

OP how old are you? I do find it hard to believe a fully functioning adult didn't know this before the app came along.

I was a chronic under-drinker for years. And existed for much of my life on a very fine balance between "just" okay, and dehydrated.

What sorted it for me? Well, maybe 18 months ago, I suddenly realised that when I'm getting dehyrated I purse my lower lip inwards. Don't know why... Maybe to suck on, maybe to stop my lips drying out? Don't know.

But now I'm really tuned into that little signal, and as soon as I realise I'm doing it, I go and get a drink.

I'm a very bad drinker. I never feel thirsty and it just doesn't occur to me to drink. I can easily go an entire day without a drink, it's really not good.
I tried apps but they're very easy to ignore 🤷🏽‍♀️
But I have actually washed my water bottle ready for tomorrow as I've felt very lethargic this weekend and put it down to not drinking enough.

I'm a very bad drinker. I never feel thirsty and it just doesn't occur to me to drink. I can easily go an entire day without a drink, it's really not good.
I tried apps but they're very easy to ignore 🤷🏽‍♀️
But I have actually washed my water bottle ready for tomorrow as I've felt very lethargic this weekend and put it down to not drinking enough.

If you feel ‘thirsty’ then you’re already dehydrated - in reality we should be regularly drinking so that we never get to the thirsty stage

I'm nearly 40!

I drink coffee and water, I don't drink squash juice or fizzy drinks. I'd probably have half 4-6 coffees a day and a glass of water and a glass or two of wine in the evening.

I'm now constantly drinking water and just scraping into the right amount.

I feel so much more active. I just remember when I remember often feeling thirsty at school in the 80s/90s but just quenching it by a mouthful of tap water in the loos. We were only allowed to drink at lunch time, drinking vessels weren't provided at any other point. My mother wouldn't let us drink lots of water as it would "fill us up so we wouldn't eat".

I'm nearly 40!

I drink coffee and water, I don't drink squash juice or fizzy drinks. I'd probably have half 4-6 coffees a day and a glass of water and a glass or two of wine in the evening.

I'm now constantly drinking water and just scraping into the right amount.

I feel so much more active. I just remember when I remember often feeling thirsty at school in the 80s/90s but just quenching it by a mouthful of tap water in the loos. We were only allowed to drink at lunch time, drinking vessels weren't provided at any other point. My mother wouldn't let us drink lots of water as it would "fill us up so we wouldn't eat".