Dehydration

[Claire926]

About 3 times this past year I have ended up with severe dehydration due to using my mobile phone in my hands or laptop on my lap for too many hours. I did some research and apparently electronic devices can cause this. I have had to use salt replenishment drink to rehydrate. I don't do that anymore and use a table when using devices like I used to before and had been fine since.

About a week ago I put a 10.5 tog duvet on and I woke up extremely hot and the same has happened again I have become dehydrated and am now having to do rehydration drinks.

I know when I worked in offices I also drank 8 glasses of water a day but have become lax in doing this. Also my family for some reason keep putting the heating on and electric fires which does not help to stop dehydrating.

I have taken my supplements again as I have read they are supposed to help regulate body temperature.

I'm not sure what I should do now as I'm 36 so I'm not going through the menopause but I am concerned about these heat episodes. I just find doctor's surgeries are not letting people visit. I may need to do a phone appointment if it carries on.

Has anyone else suffered from dehydration or can recommend any tips? Thanks.

OP
feeling thirsty is a sign that you need to drink, any drink will do and ordinary tap water is absolutely good enough
If you are actually dehydrated your wee will be dark, you can fix it by drinking. There's no need to worry. If you are too hot, turn the heating off or down, if you are still too hot remove some layers of clothing or bedding. That's all you need to do.

@mistermagpie

Have you got anxiety about other health matters or is this an isolated thing? Because using your phone and laptop will absolutely not make you dehydrated, unless using them is distracting you from having a drink? And a 10.5 tog duvet isn't that high is it?

I'm not really sure I'm understanding what's going on but it sounds more like anxiety than dehydration.

About 2 and a half years ago I had a very bad virus and an unsupportive employer who pressured me to go back while still ill. My health has never really been the same since and I developed physical anxiety. I find I am quite intolerant to heat now more than I was before.

@flippit81

OP have a read of this.

blog.chewigem.com/how-interoception-affects-hydration/

It explains why you may not sense thirst and hence get dehydrated. It also gives some ideas about what do to about it.

The blog describes interoception - how we know when we are hungry/ thirsty/ in pain/ hot etc a whole range of things.

Thanks, that article link was really helpful.

drink more water, you don't need rehydration sachets unless you have excess vomiting, diarrhoea or sweating
turn the heating off in the bedroom and down everywhere else
wear light cotton nightwear
open the window a bit to let some fresh air in
a dry mouth is a sign of not drinking enough, its called thirst
you would have to be extremely dehydrated almost to the point of collapsing if your chest is sinking and you cannot breath properly
its nothing to do with electronic devices other than you use them too much and forget to drink

Glad it was useful. Interoceptive difficulties may also explain overheating at night - your brain may not recognise your body's signals about getting warm until you are extremely hot, so you don't take action to cool down before you over heat.

If you are forgetting to drink during the day, set reminders on your phone.

OP your post about your unsupportive employer above makes me wonder if you are still working for that company which pushes you relentlessly.

Are you worried about getting into bother with them and therefore pushing yourself too hard to meet deadlines and be on your laptop continually without taking breaks?

The law states that you must have a 20min break after 6 hours of working max before you start working again. Make sure you take it. Most people take half an hour or an hour for lunch mid way through the day, which complies with the law if you work 9-5pm or thereabouts.

My Fitbit also buzzes me every hour if I’ve not done enough steps, as circulation is important and sitting motionless is bad for us.

If you are drinking your water correctly you will be up and down to the loo every hour so doing this will help your circulation too as you will be moving.

You shouldn’t be hunched over a laptop. You might feel ok just now but long term this will cause you various issues. You’d be better sitting at the kitchen table or buying a cheap desk to work at. Some employers are paying for them for staff. Are you in a union with reps in the workplace that know the situation? They could offer advice.

We have to work this for a good while yet. You can fix some of your health issues yourself but if you are still stressed and anxious you might need counselling.

@Elieza Thank you for your reply. Fortunately I am no longer in that job. I have cut out gluten, dairy and sugar the past few days and am noticing a difference. I think I may have Epstein Barr virus so I need to do some research. I agree with what you said I should move around a lot more.

I have had that too. I have ME/Chronic fatigue syndrome. You may have that too depending on what other symptoms you have. It’s got a raft of them!

I went to acupuncture and that helped me. I still go regularly now. A decade later.

I think when you have something if this nature it makes you extra susceptible to slight fluctuations. I can’t stand being cold. I can’t regulate my body temperature.

The one thing you can do that may help (as well as drink room temp water and move about to get the lymph flowing) is take vitamin d3. It’s the one thing that the ME nurse told me. I was taking 1000 but I’m upping that as it’s winter. It will help your immune system.

The main symptoms of dehydration is a very bad headache, confusion and sleepiness. You mentioned nine of these. What you describe could be due to anxiety.

I get dehydrated as I'm very bad at drinking (rarely feel thirsty) yet do a lot of exercise, including running.

When I'm dehydrated, I certainly know it. The headaches are horrendous and paracetamol/ibuprofen do nothing.

I have found that the days I am in work I have to wear a mask all day and then the next day I feel badly dehydrated. I understand the importance of wearing a mask but it's not good if it is affecting my health.

Have you increased your fluid intake? Why you're looking for other reasons for this is boggling my head. You are not badly dehydrated by wearing a mask.

Dehydration is caused by insufficient fluid. There is no way that mask wearing causes dehydration unless it means you forget to drink because a mask is covering your mouth. Are you remembering to drink lots of water when you are at work?