Headaches, tiredness, dark urine, bad mood: a lack of water disguises itself as everyday life. The eight most common signs, the test on the back of your hand and what you can do straight away.
In short
- Urine colour is the best everyday test: pale yellow is good, amber means catch up on drinking.
- Headaches in the afternoon are often a lack of water, not stress.
- The skin-fold test on the back of the hand works in older people.
- With confusion, cramps or vomiting that stops you drinking, get medical advice.
The eight signs
- Dark urine: Pale yellow is good. Amber or darker means you are behind. Clear as water means you can ease off. Vitamin B turns urine neon yellow, which does not count.
- Headaches: Dull, often in the afternoon, and better within an hour after a large glass of water.
- Tiredness and poor concentration: The brain responds to a loss of one to two per cent with slower thinking and a worse mood.
- Dry mouth, dry lips: Saliva runs short, the lips feel tight.
- Dizziness when standing up: Lower blood volume, so the circulation needs longer to adjust.
- Constipation: The gut draws water back out of the stool when it is lacking.
- Cravings: Thirst is often mistaken for hunger, especially for sweet things.
- Muscle cramps: Especially after sweating, when water and salts are lacking.
The test on the hand
Pinch the skin on the back of your hand up into a fold for two seconds and let go. With well-hydrated skin the fold disappears at once, with a lack of water it stays standing for a moment. The test is meaningful in older people and less so in young people, because their skin is elastic anyway.
What you can do straight away
One large glass of water, then another every 15 minutes, not a litre all at once. In heat or after sport, add a little salt: a pinch in the glass, a piece of bread with salt, a broth. Leave out caffeine and alcohol for now. If you feel no improvement after an hour, think of other causes.
When it is an emergency
With confusion, a very fast pulse, fainting, cramps, no urine for hours, or when drinking is impossible because of vomiting. For babies, small children and people over 75 this applies sooner. In those cases get medical help, and if in doubt call the emergency services. The article Water for children and seniors describes particularly at-risk groups and their signs.
Prevention is easier
If you know your requirement and drink spread over the day, you never fall behind in the first place. The Water intake calculator gives you the number, and the Drink tracker keeps count.
Try it out
Water intake calculatorWeight, age, weather, activity: your personal guideline in litres and glasses.Drink trackerTap the glass, see your progress through the day, keep your streak. Everything stays in your browser.Frequently asked questions
Can you be dehydrated without feeling thirsty?
Yes. In older people, in children at play, when concentrating on a screen and in the cold, the feeling of thirst comes too late or not at all.
Are electrolyte solutions from the pharmacy worthwhile?
For diarrhoea and vomiting, yes, that is their purpose. In everyday life water is enough, and with a lot of sweat, water with salt.
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