It's happening. We've hit summer already, which means we're well and truly heading towards the hotter months. Temperatures are rising, and you may have noticed you've felt hot and sweaty over the past couple of weeks, which is healthy! However, since it's starting to heat up, it's even more important to make sure you're drinking enough water!

We all know that darker pee and headaches can be telltale signs of dehydration, but we thought you should know about a few less familiar symptoms, to help you keep on top of your hydration levels! It's super important to keep up your fluid intake during the hotter months, so here are 6 signs of dehydration to look out for!

🍕 YOU'RE HUNGRY

Do you feel more hungry than normal? If so, your body may be telling you you're dehydrated! Sometimes the body mistakes thirst for hunger, so next time you experience an odd craving or feel hungry at an unusual time, try drinking a glass of water first!🚰

💤 YOU'RE EXHAUSTED

If you've been sleeping like a log but still feeling extra tired recently, this could be a sign you need to drink more water. When you're dehydrated, your body cannot function properly, which often leads to low energy, fatigue, and exhaustion 💤.  No one likes to feel like that, so drink up!

👄 YOU HAVE BAD BREATH

Saliva has antibacterial properties, and when we're not adequately hydrated, our bodies aren't able to produce as much of it! A lack of saliva causes the mouth to become dry, leading to an overgrowth of bacteria, therefore causing bad breath. Not nice. Bet this has you reaching for your drink bottle right away! 😜

✋YOUR SKIN IS DRY/LESS ELASTIC

Dehydration may cause your skin to look and feel dry, which can be quite unpleasant and lead to a number of skin issues. Your skin may also become less elastic, so a quick way to test if you're dehydrated is to pinch the skin on the back of your hand. If it bounces back straight away, you're good 🤚. If it stays up the way you pinched it, you could be dehydrated. Time to get sipping!

⁉️ YOU FEEL CONFUSED/OUT OF IT

Have you had trouble focusing or been feeling more irritable lately? If so, this may signal you aren't hydrated enough. Dehydration has a significant impact on the brain and can leave you feeling pretty blah 🥴. This is a sure-fire way to dampen your day, so it's super important to keep up the drinking!

💪 YOU EXPERIENCE MUSCLE CRAMPS

If you're experiencing muscle cramps, this may be a strong indicator that you haven't had enough water. It is especially important to drink enough while exercising, as sweating causes you to dehydrate rapidly🏃‍♀️. Remember to drink lots of water before and after training, and always keep your drink bottle close by during your session!

WHAT TO DO

🚰 KEEP YOUR WATER BOTTLE NEARBY

One way to help you keep on top of your water intake is to invest in a beautiful water bottle and keep it handy at all times. Whether you're at work, school training, at the beach, or chilling at home, don't forget to keep sipping throughout the day! 🍼

🍵 TRY SPICING UP PLAIN WATER

We get it, plain water can be a little boring sometimes. To help you stay hydrated, try spicing up plain water with chunks of fresh or frozen fruit and some ice cubes, or make a herbal tea instead 🍵. There are so many ways you can get creative to make plain water more exciting, head to this article for more ideas!

🍉 EAT LOTS OF FRESH FOOD

Fresh food has a much higher water content than dry snacks such as crackers, chips, and pretzels. Want an easy way to boost your hydration levels? Swap out the dry foods for fresh goodness like fruit, vegetables, yogurt, or a smoothie. Eating more fresh food could be the key to reaching your hydration goals!  🍉

If you think your body might be telling you to drink up, make it your goal to stay hydrated this summer. A good way to monitor this is by keeping track of how much water you're drinking each day. The ideal amount of water to consume varies from person to person, but health authorities commonly recommend drinking about 2 liters of water a day, so see if you can build up to that. You'll definitely notice the amazing benefits of drinking more H2O! ☀️