What Dehydration Feels Like
·Headaches. Many times a headache is caused by dehydration.
·Loss of focus. Water cools down your body, including your brain. A computer running hot will slow down, so too will your brain when it can't keep itself cool.
·Kidney stones. Although it doesn't always have this effect, water flushes out toxins in your body that lead to kidney stones and UTI's.
·Irregularity in bowels. Water aids in digestion and keeps everything working the way it should.
·Grumpiness. Hydrated people are just happier. Their body functions better and allows them to feel good about it.
·Heavy/overweight. A properly hydrated body better removes by-products of fat, helps you regulate how much you eat in a meal and throughout the day, and keeps your metabolism up.
·Duller, wrinkly skin. Hydration moisturizes your skin, keeping it soft, smooth, and glowing.
·Heat stroke. Heat stroke is characterized by high body temperature, absence of sweat, rapid pulse, difficult breathing, hallucinations, agitation, disorientation, and even sometimes seizure, or coma. It's a dangerous problem that can prove fatal at times.
How It Can Improve Your Life
Like eating a healthy diet, proper hydration has an amazing effect on the body. As mentioned before, you can feel happier and healthier. You experience fewer headaches, have a sharper mind, and can often keep off weight. On top of that you look better. You can tell when someone is malnourished (which includes dehydration) by their general appearance. The body gives you away. In the same way you can see when someone is properly nourished by their general appearance. So not only will you look better, but you'll feel better too.
What You Should Do
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Eight 8oz. glasses a day should be a bare-minimum to shoot for. Try to drink more though, especially before, during, and after exercise or excessive time spent in the sun.