Disclaimer: 

Brief review ahead of stuff you likely already know unless you haven’t heard that drinking water is good for you? It’s always good to review though …

Research shows that dehydration (especially if it’s chronic) can be a serious problem for your health, causing constipation, low blood pressure, fatigue, and even interfering with the way your brain functions…. (ahem, most unhelpful for a freshly adjusted Nervous System) 

Basically, it stands in the way of the vibrant health and wellness you want.

How to Tell if You’re Dehydrated

Here are some tell-tale signs of dehydration in otherwise healthy adults:

• Digestive troubles such as constipation

• Lack of energy

• Peeing less frequently or decreased urine output when you go

• Dark yellow urine (check out this handy guide to urine colors!)

• Headaches

• Low blood pressure

• Dizziness

• Muscle cramps

• Kidney stones

• Dry mouth, skin and/or eyes

• Mental fog, anxiety and other mood changes 

• And of course, if you feel thirsty, you’re already likely mildly dehydrated.

THINK YOU MIGHT BE DEHYDRATED? TRY THE SKIN ELASTICITY TEST

Lightly pinch the skin on one of your knuckles for a few seconds and then let it go. If your skin forms a tent and doesn’t return to normal immediately, it could be a sign of mild dehydration. (This test may be less accurate if you’re over 65 because skin loses elasticity as we age, such a bummer I agree)

How to Calculate Your Daily Water Intake

The old “eight glasses a day” rule is outdated. Here’s a simple formula to help you figure out how much water to drink a day:

Your body weight in pounds: ______ divided by 2 = ______ oz of water per day

So for example, a person who weighs 150 lb should consume about 75 oz of water per day (150 divided by 2 = 75).