It is no secret that water is the single most important source of fuel the human body needs to function correctly. For years, health experts have been stressing the importance of drinking a minimum of 2 litres (or 8 glasses) a day to keep our bodies functioning properly and our brain active.

The human body is made up of approximately 70% water, while our brain tissue is approximately 75-90% water. When we don’t drink enough water, the body will start to send signals to the brain letting it know that we haven’t had enough fluid intake. If we ignore these signs, our body begins to shut down and become less responsive as dehydration begins to take hold.

What are the Symptoms of Dehydration?

Dehydration begins when the body starts to sweat as a result of high intensity activities such as sport and exercise as the body tries to cool itself. However, other factors of dehydration can be a result of stress (and forgetting to drink), hot environments and crying. Some symptoms can be mild and subtle, while more extreme symptoms and be life-threatening.

Mild symptoms can include:

  • Dry throat or mouth
  • Mild Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Tiredness
  • Slight discoloration in urine (yellow colour)

Severe symptoms of dehydration can lead to a medical emergency and these symptoms frequently include:

  • Muscle cramps (in rare cases a whole body cramp)
  • Confusion
  • Sunken eyes
  • Low blood pressure
  • Breathing difficulties (short, fast breaths)
  • Major discoloration in urine (brown colour)
  • Delirium

In extreme cases a person can lose consciousness and must be admitted to hospital, where they will need a drip inserted to help replace the lost fluids. This is why it is vitally important to ensure you are getting enough water throughout the day.

How Can We Avoid Dehydration?

Everyone is prone to dehydration, but is can be avoided by drinking enough water (remember the 2-litre minimum). Soft drink, coffee and sports drinks are not viable alternatives as soft drink and sports drinks are loaded with sugar and other nasty additives that only give you a quick energy hit. These drinks don’t quench your thirst, and coffee contains caffeine which will increase alertness – but as caffeine is a diuretic – it will only dehydrate you further and deplete your body of important vitamins and minerals.

If you are worried that you are not getting enough water through the day, it is important that you keep a water bottle with you at all times. If for some reason you don’t have your bottle with you (some workplaces such as retail stores don’t allow water bottles on the shop floor) the other alternative is to use a plastic cup. Cost-effective, re-useable and recyclable, our range of cups will ensure you are constantly hydrated throughout the day.

At Refresh Pure Water, we are passionate about delivering only the best purified water to our customers. Water is the essence of life and keeps our bodies functioning at its best all the time.

To find out more about our range of products, get in touch with the team at Refresh Pure Water and our friendly staff will assist you with your enquiries.