Last Updated on 24th September 2021 by Charlie Walsh
It can’t be that bad can it? Well, here at Bathmate we pride ourselves on doing the hard work so you don’t have to, we’ve taken a look into what happens when you don’t drink water for a week to give you the inside scoop on the risks, if any involved.
Why is it so important?
It’s only water, right? True. But water is an incredible substance and its benefits are unrivalled by anything else on planet earth. Turns out by not drinking water you can be putting yourself way more at risk than you could of ever considered, let’s take a look now so you can educate yourselves as to why it is so important to get your 8 glasses of water a day.
Water is essential for our lives. 50-70% of our body weight is water. If you are dehydrated, sick, or work out too much – you will need to drink more water than usual. But what if we do not drink enough water in the first place? The first sign of what is going on in your body is thirstiness. After a while you will notice a headache. Later on, you will feel that your mood has changed. Every single action in our body requires water. Beginning with breathing, regular toileting habits and ending with our skin. Normally, we optimize our water levels through eating watery fruits and veggies, soups and drinking but some of us do not have enough time to think about it or drinking water is low on their priority list.
A week seems like a long period of time but…..what happens if we do not drink water for a week?
The risk depends on the food we eat. Food like watery soups will help prolong things but you won’t be in a good way. We normally, do not notice that we don’t drink enough fluids. You can feel a bit tired and thirsty. Have you ever listened to what your body is saying and picked up on the signs? If you drink when you’re thirsty, it may be too late, but this is a sure sign you are not drinking enough water.
What will happen to your body if you do not drink water?
First of all, your cells will shrink without enough water. As a result, you urinate less. Sweat less and do not breathe properly. That means that your kidneys can be damaged and they will not be functioning the way they should. The main function of kidneys is to flush out waste from your blood. It’s not only about damage to your kidneys – every single organ in your body needs water to work! Every single process in your body needs water. When you do not drink enough water, your body temperature level is not right (you will probably feel cold all the time). Lack of water intake also interferes with your electrolytes balance.
TIP: the best drink that you can easily prepare to help your body is water with a bit of sea salt, lemon juice and honey. (Also helps people who drank a bit too much the night before…)
After 3 days of not drinking enough water you brain starts to swell. You will not be able to focus on a one thing for a long time, you will feel tired even when you feel like you slept more than you should.
Day 4: While eating quite dry food, your stomach digests slowly and you don’t have the required amount of saliva to break down the food. Also, you can suffer from heart burn and a sore throat. Your mucous membranes don’t hold enough moisture. Additionally, you might taste a little odd….it means that the acid pH of your body also affects your natural lubricant. Moreover your sex drive is lower because water helps your body to optimize hormones production.
After just 1 week without enough water, the negative effects on your body will not only be physical but they will become mental too, your mental health will be in for a massive blow. Your blood pressure increases or decreases depending on the individual, you can also feel like your skin is itchy. Skin is one of the biggest organs in our body, without water – it will get dry, itchy and look tired and grey. Good mental health also depends on good water levels within our body. Without water we feel irritated, sad, dizzy, confused – you may feel a bit sad or even get depressed. Being dehydrated is dangerous and can cause heatstroke and heat cramps, pain in the joints, hypovolemic shock, seizures, immune system damage and some heart diseases.
How can we remember to drink more water and how does food help us with it?
First of all, you need a plastic re-useable bottle that should always be by your side. Another option is to download an app on your phone that reminds you to drink a glass of water (and when). The best hydration app is called Daily Water Tracker. It is totally free, no matter what system your phone operates. You can set how much water you want to drink a day (ounces or millilitres). There are 7-day and a monthly chart available where you can check your progress.
Secondly, food is another option (alongside water). Very good news guys – people who drink enough water can get additional water from eating vegetables and other watery foods, meaning you really can stay out of the dehydration danger zone.
Here we have a list of products that contain a lot of water:
-watermelon
-melon
-strawberries
-lychee
-lettuce
-cabbage
-tomatoes
-yogurt and cottage cheese
-seafood and fish
-peaches and oranges
TIP from Bathmate: soups and broths are the best option for those who struggle to drink enough water at the start. Eating soups helps you with balancing water level in your body because water is the main ingredient. They are also super healthy and really tasty!
