Weird Reasons Why Being Dehydrated is So Bad For You

Everyone knows that drinking water is important, but knowing exactly why can be the extra boost of motivation that you need to actually get enough in. Mild dehydration can set in just by losing 1.5 percent of the water in your body. Here’s what actually happens when your body gets dehydrated.

It Leads to Bad Breath

When we are dehydrated we can start to develop bad breath. When we don’t have enough water in the body we don’t create enough saliva, and one of the jobs of our saliva is to keep the mouth clean with its antibacterial properties. When there’s not enough saliva in there food particles mixed with growing bacteria can make things stink.

It Makes Your Workout Less Efficient

Being even a little dehydrated can cut down your efficiency at the gym, and the more dehydrated you are the worse it gets. Some research says that being at a 2 percent dehydration level can cut down on your fitness performance by ten percent, even if it feels like you are giving it your all.

It Makes You Tired

Getting through the day without being tired can be tricky to impossible, but there are some things that can be done to help. One naturally, is drinking water. When we get dehydrated our blood pressure drops, which leads to a decrease of blood flowing to the brain, both of which make us feel pretty weird and sleepy. Being dehydrated also leads to an increase in heart rate which can make doing normal tasks feel a little more challenging.

Sugar Cravings

Yes, just skipping on the glory that is water can lead to your body developing sugar cravings. If you exercise when the body is dehydrated you will move faster through your stored carbohydrates which will in turn make your body want to replenish them as fast as possible once you’re done exercising.

It Makes Your Skin Look Bad

Dry skin looks and can feel pretty terrible, and while applying lotion can do a lot to keep moisture in, you need to drink plenty of water to have any moisture to even keep in. Keep in mind that if you are very active you might need to drink more water than the average person.

It Can Make You a Dangerous Driver

One study published in Physiology and Behavior found that being dehydrated can double the amount of errors made while someone is on a two hour drive, when compared to someone who is fully hydrated. That’s not too far off than drunk driving. Next time you hop in the car for a road trip don’t be deterred to drink water by the fact that you might have to make a stop to use the restroom.

It Can Make You Moody

If your mood drops for pretty much no reason at all you may be able to drink some water and get back to normal. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that being dehydrated has certain neurological effects that can cause irritability.